Tranquil Violence
by Team Dragon Star
Summary: Videl struggles to get stronger, constantly being in the shadow of her family. When a mysterious new dojo opens up, will the Sensei, Gohan be able to help her overcome her family name and make one for herself?
1. Chapter 1

**As part of an exclusive deal, TDS has purchased this story from its original owner**

**Disclaimer: We do not own DBZ**

**...**

Videl saw silently, a scowl printed across her face as she watched the two men fight in the centre of the ring. She brushed a few of her loose hairs behind her ear, her eyes focused on the fight in the centre of the ring. It was the grading of the students at the Satan Dojo, and there was no way that her father wouldn't force her to come along, just like he had done so for every grading over the past four years. When Videl had shown a strong interest in martial arts when she had heard that her father had defeated Cell, she was intent on learning how to fight. At the same time, Hercule was proud that his daughter wanted to fight. The only problem was that Videl didn't like the Satan style of fighting, and this made her father upset.

After defeating Cell, Hercule's dojo, which had already been operating for a few years, grew rapidly in popularity, so much so that it forced the closure of many rival dojo's due to lack in number. After two years, the Satan Dojo was the only one operating in the city, it slowly grew into one of the most recognised businesses in the world, seemingly everyone wanted to learn how to fight like the saviour of the world. All except for one girl, who had nowhere else to go. There was the option of travelling to another city but the level of training she wanted was on a daily routine, something which simply wouldn't work out. As such she self taught herself how to fight, using various katas she had looked at over the internet for different styles of traditional martial arts. She knew that if she looked hard enough she would have been able to find some old master who was willing to teach her a traditional style but once word got out that the daughter of the champ went to a different master, tabloids would crave at it like gold.

Then there was Mark, the man in the centre of the ring defeating his opponent with ease and the star pupil in Hercule's eyes. At the current rate, either Mark or Videl would inherit the dojo once Hercule retired, which with his billions of zeni could be whenever he felt like it. There was no doubt that Mark was good, he and Videl had fought one on one recently and Videl had found herself bruised profusely after getting taken down. Apart from her father, he was the only one in the dojo capable of defeating her, and as Mark bowed to his opponent and walked towards where Videl and Hercule were there was one real reason why their rivalry was so personal.

"How did I do dad?" asked Mark with a smile on his face, a bruise slowly changing colour where he had been struck with a jab to the face.

"Remember son, call me sensei at the dojo," said Hercule with a stern look, putting it on so that the other students wouldn't believe he was favouring his own fresh and blood. "But believe me when I say that you'll be going one rank higher by the end of the day." Mark didn't respond verbally, but took a step back before bowing, Hercule mirroring so that they bowed to one another. They stood upright before Mark took a seat next to Videl.

"How do you reckon I went sis?" he asked.

"Like you do every time," said Videl nonchalantly.

Whatever effect Mark took to this he kept it hidden well, fighting wasn't the only thing which ran in the male side of the family. "Are you still upset about the fact you haven't won against me for a while?" he asked.

"It hasn't been a while," replied Videl looking dead ahead instead of looking at Mark.

"Four years is a fair while in my opinion," said Mark which Videl only grunted to. Hercule left his kids alone for a moment to go announce the next match, leaving Mark to tell her something he hadn't wanted his father to hear. "Apparently a new dojo opened on the other side of town," he said in a hushed voice. Immediately Videl's head turned in Mark's direction, wanting to know more. "It's been real on the quiet side however, apparently the head has come down from the mountain regions and one of the sensei's is from an island somewhere. I don't reckon it will last long though, clearly they don't know the field they are getting into."

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Videl.

"Because I'm your older brother, and I want to see you to get better," he said with a smile before handing her a piece of paper. "Here's the address."

"You just want some competition," stated Videl seeing through the smile, taking the paper away in a swift grab.

"Well since it'll only be open a while I doubt you'll make much improvement but every bit helps," he said with a chuckle. Videl huffed before standing upright and walking outside, bypassing her father on the way through who looked back at his daughter with a confused look.

"What's up with her?" asked Hercule.

"I might have upset her a bit," admitted Mark before turning back to the next fight which was about to start. "She'll blow off some steam and we'll see her back home at dinner."

"Did you tell her about the new dojo?" asked Hercule, Mark nodded in response. "Ha, those people are probably strong for where they're from but there's no way they have the making of a champion."

"Cocky as always," muttered Mark under his breath, but he had to admit that being the world champ and saviour of the world his father did have the right to be cocky.

"Once a few people have gone and realised how bad it is, word will spread and the place will be bankrupt before you know it," said Hercule before going into his trademark laugh, Mark chuckling alongside. The battle inside the ring had just reached a conclusion, Sharpner standing over his fallen opponent although he too looked a little worse for wear.

"You see that babe," he shouted looking over to where Videl had been sitting only to find she wasn't there. "Videl?" he said looking around wildly, wondering if Videl had missed the best win of his life. Mark saw Sharpner and knowing that he was one of Videl's friends came up with a clever idea.

...

"I don't know why you're bringing me with you," stated Erasa as she rode in the passenger seat of Videl's jetcopter as Videl flew through the city. At her feet were several bags from a hard days shopping.

"You were going to watch Sharpner's match but it would be over by now anyway, no doubt with Sharpner KO'd in the middle of the ring," said Videl with a snicker.

"But still you're taking me to a fighting dojo, why would I want to go?" asked Erasa.

"Because I didn't want to go by myself," answered Videl truthfully. "I just didn't want to be alone at the moment."

"Mark?" asked Erasa and when she got no reply she knew that he had said something to Videl. "You shouldn't let him get to you so much."

"We're here," said Videl ignoring Erasa's statement. She lowered her copter into a nearby parking space before capsualizing the vehicle. First impressions though were not that exciting. Parts of the building were in dire need of repair, even the wooden board hanging out the front had been tagged with graffiti. Weeds had been growing near where the water pipe had a hole in it and there was no sign saying the place was open. The building itself was wide, it was probably one of the ones which had gone out of business when the Satan fever had hit.

"You sure you've got the right place?" asked Erasa turning to her friend. Videl was starting to believe that the whole scheme had been a set up before two young men walked out of the door, looking utterly terrified.

"Insane," muttered one of them, repeating the word over and over.

"I never want to go in there again," said the other as the two of them walked past Erasa and Videl, ignoring them completely.

"Are they alright?" asked Erasa to nobody in particular.

"Somehow I think we have the right place," said Videl walking towards the front door, Erasa trailing right behind her. The inside completely stunned them, the outside of the dojo doing no justice. It was gorgeous, traditional drapes hung from the ceiling while there were flat pebbles spread along the ground, tiles placed in a line for the customer to step on. Videl couldn't believe her eyes when she saw a small rock garden complete with a fish pond to the left of the path, it really looked like a traditional outside training facility from centuries ago.

"Admiring the view," said a voice startling the girls out of their dream world. They turned to the front of the path where they saw a short man smiling at them with a goofy smile while waving. "At least you two look better than the last couple of idiots who came in here."

"This is the new dojo right?" asked Videl to which the man nodded.

"This doesn't look like a dojo, it looks so peaceful," said Erasa turning her attention back to the water feature. "I thought a dojo was a place of violence."

"That's because you only see violence from a certain perspective, you don't know the reason behind the violence," said the man, the light glistening off his bald head. "A man can either be violent in order to prove that he is the better fighter, or a man could fight in order to defend those he loves. Power is often accumulated with rage, but one needs to know both ends of the spectrum and embrace tranquillity."

"That's almost poetic," said Erasa.

"How much does this place cost to train here?" asked Videl getting down to business.

"Let's see whether or not you qualify to train here first," said the man beckoning them deeper into the gym.

"What do you mean qualify?" asked Erasa confused.

"We'll only take people of certain quality, and to prove that you're worthy of training here you must face him," said the man pointing into another room. Videl and Erasa followed his finger to see another rock garden, except this one had a dirt rectangle in the middle of it. In the centre was a bamboo pole sticking into the ground. On top of that was a man balancing perfectly while supporting his weight with only one hand situated at the centre of his torso. His face was pointing downwards, the three of them only able to see his black hair. Videl could tell just by looking at the position the man was in how much effort and practice the man would need in order to maintain that pose for more than thirty seconds, let alone however this man had been going at it.

"You've got another couple of candidates Gohan," said the man as he turned and walked into another room. Videl and Erasa kept their eyes on Gohan as he looked up at them before pushing off the bamboo and doing a front flip and landing perfectly on his feet. He straightened his body and looked at the two girls in front of him before a smile came across his lips and he clasped his hands together.

"Alright whose first?"

...

**Hope you enjoyed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: We do not own DBZ**

**...**

The hover car raced through the streets of Satan City, an enraged Sharpner behind the wheel as he raced to the destination that Mark had told him Videl was meeting up with a new boyfriend. As far as he was concerned, the only person good enough to be Videl's boyfriend was himself, and he would prove it by beating this guy up. His plan was flawless, apart from those in the dojo there was nobody their age who he couldn't take down in a fight. His logic was always right.

...

Erasa's jaw dropped as she eyed the toned hunk in the centre of the room, his torso chiselled so much so that the gi he was wearing seemed to wrap around his muscles. He wiped a few beads of sweat off his brow with his forearm before flicking the liquid into the dirt below his feet. She turned to Videl and bowed deeply. "Thank you for bringing me," she said humbly, looking at the ground.

"Don't mention it," said Videl shaking her hands as if apologetic. She then turned her attention back to Gohan in the middle and wondered how a person who looked her age could end up being the head of a dojo, unless he was the prized student which would make some sense. "My name is Videl and I want to know what ranked belt are you?" she asked pointing a finger at him accusingly.

"One's skill should not be determined by the colour wrapped around their waist," said Gohan in a way that Videl immediately understand that this teenager was no student. "We don't have a coloured ranking system here, our goal is to help improve your own skills and help boost self confidence."

"I've got more than enough confidence," said Videl pumping her fist.

"Then come at me," mocked Gohan crossing his arms and closing his eyes. Videl smirked before taking off the jacket she had been wearing. Tossing it to the side she was about to jump into the ring when Erasa grabbed her arm. Videl was about to ask her friend what was wrong when she saw that her friend seemed pale, as if frightened by something.

"What's wrong?" asked Videl looking her friend in the face.

"Something feels wrong," she said before turning around. "I'm going to go sit in the lobby for a while." Without another word she walked into the lobby they had originally entered and out of sight.

"Obviously she wasn't here to fight," said Gohan not shifting in the slightest.

"What did you do?" said Videl threateningly.

"You'll understand as soon as you step in the ring," said Gohan as a smirk spread across his lips. Videl looked at the dirt in front of her and already felt uncomfortable. Every time she had fought criminals she had been on concrete or within a building, when fighting against her father's students it had always been done in an official sized tournament ring. Fighting on dirt was like fighting on a different type of terrain altogether. "What are you waiting for?" asked Gohan which seemed to irk Videl forward. Stepping forward, she placed her foot on the dirt.

Immediately her foot snapped back, her heart stricken with fear. Even in life threatening situations fighting well known criminals had she never been so scared. Gohan hadn't even looked up from his spot but the smile on his face told Videl that he knew she had tried to step forward. Knowing that she had to push forward with this, she took another step onto the dirt and stood her ground. Once again she was hit by an invisible blast which sent fear rocketing through her core but she refused to back down. When she took another step closer Gohan looked up and looked Videl in the eyes.

All Videl saw however was an eye of a dragon, a vicious creature with the sole intent of ripping her to shreds. She dropped to her knees and almost lost her stomach as she knelt on her hands and knees. Droplets of sweat were absorbed into the ground as they dropped from her forehead. "I...I can't do it," she said weakly.

"There are few that can," said Gohan as he gently rubbed Videl's back helping her calm down. "There were three options when you step into this ring for the first time, one is to back away and make no attempt to move forward. The second option is to rush in blindly, ignoring the warning signs and charging without thinking it through. The best option is what you did, admitting that you could only go so far before only able to give in, rather than running away."

"What was that?" asked Videl as she caught her breath.

"That was my killing intent, a power of willpower between two people," explained Gohan sitting next to Videl looking at the ceiling. "When the willpower between those two people are similar, there is no real effect shown by either opponent, but as you found out when the willpower between two power is great the weaker cannot comprehend moving closer to the enemy. This sort of power can sometimes only be truly comprehended when physical strength is tested and one person is shown to be vastly stronger."

"How do you train something like that?" asked Videl sitting up but turning her head away from Gohan, even though she couldn't feel any murderous intent she didn't want to see the same hatred in his eyes she had seen before.

"It's not something which comes individually," continued Gohan. "It is built off of developing multiple different things and it just builds up over time. Think about times when people are annoying you and simply by looking at them they back away, a single look daring people to come closer."

Videl recalled numerous instances, usually when some nerd tried to ask her to go on a date or something similar. In those sorts of instances she knew that her willpower clearly overpowered somebody with a weak structure. "I think I get it," she said before the sound of the door opening with a crash alerted them to someone else entering the dojo.

"Sharpner!" exclaimed Erasa from within the lobby before the blonde haired teenager walked around the corner with Erasa to find Videl sitting next to some teenage boy roughly their age. They both looked at Sharpner who seemed to be seething with anger.

"You bastard!" shouted Sharpner at the top of his lungs before he charged at Gohan before trying to attack the unprepared boy's back. Gohan snapped to attention, leaning forwards and using his hands as a base, flipped onto his feet, Sharpner's foot missing Gohan by an inch.

"Sharpner what are you doing?" cried Videl but the boy was beyond reason as he boiled with anger. Gohan held a hand up towards Videl, signalling for her not to get involved. Videl nodded as Erasa ran to her side and knelt beside her, both girls looking at their friend who had seemed to have crossed over into madness. With a ferocious roar, Sharpner charged at Gohan with his fist pulled back, preparing to deliver a vicious Satan punch to finish this in an instant. The punch however failed to connect as Gohan rolled his head to the side, the fist missing his head by the barest of margins. As Gohan's head rolled back into position, Sharpner tried to follow up with an uppercut but Gohan's head simply rolled back and the fist passed by without striking its mark.

Videl was at a loss for words as Sharpner continued to rain blows at Gohan's head only for him to dodge them with minimal effort. After only a minute, Sharpner leapt backwards, exhausted from trying to execute so many high powered moves within such a confined time space. "You're lucky I'm not at my peak, I've already been in a fight today," boasted Sharpner who was trying to believe that he had the upper hand. The reality however was that he hadn't even forced the boy to take a step away from where he had originally landed.

Videl had noticed this as well and was in perpetual shock. In her age division, Sharpner was one of a few who could give her a good fight, though he had never come out on top. To have the courage not to back away when someone was coming at you like a bat out of hell was something she couldn't fathom. She watched as Sharpner pulled his fist back again, going for another Satan Punch but stopped in his tracks as he found a foot pointing upwards into his jaw.

Videl hadn't even seen the leg rise but now Gohan's foot was pressed up against Sharpner's throat, added to the fact that Gohan was holding his leg at an angle which would be difficult for most world class gymnasts made the manoeuvre even more impressive. Sharpner started sweating bullets; this was not what he had planned to happen. He used his forearm to knock the leg to the side before attempting a spinning roundhouse kick. As he completed his rotation he noticed that Gohan had dropped to the ground and before he could do anything Gohan had kicked his pivoting leg out from underneath him.

Sharpner landed on his rear with a soft thud, thankfully the dirt had softened his fall much more than tiles would have. He cursed under his breath before looking up at Gohan who was looking down at him with an intimidating look in his eye, so much so that Sharpner wanted to be anywhere but where he was at the moment. He wanted to push himself onto his feet and run for the hills but his arms wouldn't respond to his mind's commands. Every survival instinct he had was telling him to flee but his body wouldn't budge in the slightest.

Videl understood what Sharpner was feeling and recalled that Gohan had mentioned what Sharpner had done as one of the three options of stepping in the ring for the first time. Somehow she felt sorry for Sharpner but knew that he deserved it. "Everything alright sensei Gohan?" asked the short man as he stepped out of the back room holding a crate of supplies in each hand.

"Yes, sensei Krillen," said Gohan not taking his eyes off of Sharpner. Sharpner's eyes shot to the small man before back up at Gohan, thankful that there was no murderous intent shooting in his direction anymore. Now he understood why this man was so much more skilled than him, even if it was a rundown dojo for someone to reach the rank of sensei was no easy task. Even though his current sensei in Hercule boasted the title of saviour of the world and strongest under the heavens, then this man was the strongest from hell.

"Alright, you guys have had your fun, now get out while we do some renovations," instructed Gohan in a commanding tone. Sharpner took heed of the warning and was out the door in seconds, closely followed by both Videl and Erasa. Suddenly Videl felt a lot like how those two men she and Erasa had seen earlier coming out of the same door. Understanding their feelings entirely, she decided to leave her vehicle capsulated for the time being and simply walk around for a bit. As for Sharpner and Erasa, they were happy to simply follow her for a while.

Meanwhile inside the dojo, Krillen was putting the boxes back in the storage room as Gohan cleaned himself up in the bathroom. "Do you reckon they'll pass?" asked Krillen as he walked past, stopping for a moment to listen to Gohan's response.

"We'll see," said Gohan as he looked at the reflection in the mirror, same droplets of water on the mirror making the image seem more comedic. "Out of everyone today, the one most likely to come back was that raven haired girl, Videl I think her name was."

"Well we need some business or this is just going to be a waste of time," said Krillen as he walked off. "It's the middle of the summer break, so there was no real better time to start up a dojo then now."

"Like I said Krillen," said Gohan looking away from the mirror, "We'll see what happens."

...

**Hope you enjoyed.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you one and all for the reviews, for those who had questions, they will likely be answered in the chapter. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ**

**...**

Videl sat silently on the chair at her father's gym; apparently Hercule had seen her as unsociable for the last couple of days and had forced her out of the house. Of course being cooped up in a dojo with only older men to communicate with wasn't exactly something which could cheer her up at the moment. She had taken to the ring and easily defeated two people who thought that they had mastered some of the basic skills taught by Hercule, this however was proven false.

"What's on your mind?" asked Mark as he walked over to her, a towel draped around his shoulders as he had just taken a shower. Videl didn't answer in words but rather dropped her head lower as if deep in thought. Mark was about to question her further but stopped when he heard Hercule shouting at one of his students, so much so that Videl too was dragged into the conversation.

"What do you mean you're quitting the dojo?" shouted Hercule towards a man who held his gi and belt in his hands.

"I'm sorry sir," said the man bowing his head. "It has been great learning here these last few years but I've learnt all that I can."

"What nonsense are you babbling on about? You're nowhere near ready to be champion!" exclaimed Hercule.

"And I will never be champion if I continue to study in this style," said the man calmly, placing his gear lightly on the ground. He looked up at Hercule who looked like he was about to blow a gasket, and simply bowed before walking away. The entire dojo was silent as the man walked out of the dojo, never slowing down in his strides.

"That was unexpected," said Videl as normality returned to the dojo.

"That was Freed as well," said Mark gritting his teeth. "He hasn't been here that long but he showed real promise. Also dad will be a bit angry since that's the third guy who's left this week."

"Any reason why?" asked Videl.

"They're going to the new dojo, the one you went to five days ago," explained Mark. "Although doing a bit of digging into it the place has only been open six days and has only taken three students. About a dozen others from here have gone to check it out but won't say anything about it."

"No kidding," said Videl knowing exactly why they weren't willing to talk about it.

"Doesn't matter, once the place closes they'll all come crawling back here, I might even buy out the place and start my own dojo," he joked. He then turned around towards the centre of the ring. "Isn't that your buddy in there?"

Videl looked towards the ring to see Sharpner fighting it out with someone a grade below him. "More like acquaintance," said Videl monochromatically. She watched as Sharpner attempted a wild hook, only to have his guard drop and take two jabs to the chest. Sharpner was suddenly forced on the defence but unforced errors were rapidly occurring and he took several blows to the torso and face.

Breaking through the offence, Sharpner landed a series of blows but they had neither the strength nor the accuracy to keep his opponent on the guard. It was only a few seconds later that Sharpner found himself flat on his back. Those who had been watching began to clap for the winner, but Sharpner could already see that he was about to receive a verbal thrashing from Hercule once the applause had come to a stop. Taking his chances, he quickly got to his feet and although he staggered slightly, made his way to the change rooms, Hercule following shortly afterwards.

"Dad's going to let him have it," commented Mark. "It's what he gets for allowing someone less skilled than him to win."

"There's nothing wrong with the underdog winning," remarked Videl in a harsh tone. Half the times when she did police work nobody really expected her to survive most of it let alone come out victorious. Before Mark could retort however Videl's communicator went off, by the time Videl answered it she was already running out the door, leaving Mark in the dust. "What is it chief?" she asked as she decapsualized her jet copter.

"Fire's broken out at a local convenience store, its trapped customers inside the blaze," said the chief.

"Understood," said Videl as she jumped into her vehicle. "Transfer the location to my communicator."

"Will do," he said before he cut the connection. As soon as Videl got into the air though, she didn't need any details of where to go, the giant plume of black smoke was all the details she needed. Pushing her thrusters to their maximum capacity, she raced off towards the fire. As she got closer she began to analyse the situation, the roof was badly on fire, there was no real area to land on safely. The fire had been contained to the point where the nearby buildings were in no immediate danger. Chunks of the roof had caved in, probably how the people were trapped inside. As she landed she spotted the only real chance of getting inside, a large window. The reason that the firemen hadn't gone in already would be because it was a few feet off the ground and would require a rolling jump to get through without burning oneself on what was sure to be an incredibly hot medium.

As she landed and jumped out of the copter, she saw the nearby police trying to hold somebody back, probably because their loved ones were inside. She turned back towards the window but already saw a civilian charging towards it. Police and firemen were yelling at him, telling him to get away but he paid no attention as he leapt through the air and smashed through the window as if it was nothing. Videl was momentarily stunned but quickly realized that this man had just done something irrational and would probably be in deep trouble as it was. Racing after him, she leapt through the opening and made her way inside, landing on broken glass as she did.

The immediate heat was unbearable and Videl coughed loudly, trying to expel any smoke which had entered her lungs. She wanted to scream out for people but couldn't do anything through the smoke. Dropping to her hands and knees, she began to crawl underneath the smoke. "Where are you?" she shouted although it came out more of a raspy cough than anything else.

"Help!" screamed someone from the opposite end of the shop. Videl turned in the direction and began to crawl as fast as she could. She noticed that there was a sharp pain in her leg and when looking at it noticed that she had cut herself on her way through. Gritting her teeth through the pain, she continued forward. A large explosion rattled nearby and the sound of crumbling debris could be heard. A large slab of concrete landed in front of Videl and she held her arms over her head for protection as she heard more coming, closing her eyes and waiting for it to end. She could hear smaller chunks landing on either side of her but nothing major hit her. Opening her eyes, she saw a pair of legs standing in front of her. Following them upwards, she found herself looking at the back of the man who had jumped in earlier. The smoke seemed to circle around him, as if afraid to get any closer.

"Are you okay?" he asked not looking down at her. Videl could only manage a raspy cough as an answer. "Fair enough, I'll put this down somewhere safe then." Videl was confused as to what he was talking about until the smoke parted some more to show that a giant slab of concrete had fallen from the roof only for the man to be holding it with one arm above his head. As if it was nothing more than a baseball, he tossed it to the side and out of harm's way, the gust from doing so extinguishing lesser parts of the fire.

The smoke began to clear; due to the fact the place had a lot more ventilation now. Videl found herself able to stand on both legs without inhaling anything toxic, although she found that she couldn't put as much weight on her left leg due to the injury. "Let's find them," she said in a shallow voice. The man only nodded before striding forward as if this was a walk in the park, Videl limping behind.

"Help!" someone screamed again, closer this time. Videl and the man charged towards it to find a group of three people trapped underneath a fallen shelf which burned intensely. "Help us!" screamed a little girl through tears. Videl was about to rush forward when the man held out his hand, stopping her from moving forward.

"What's the deal, we need to help them," she exclaimed but he paid no attention as he strode forward before unleashing a vicious kick at the shelf, absolutely obliterating it into the side of the wall.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly as he knelt down beside them. As they nodded in response, he picked the smallest child up in his arms and beckoned them to follow him. Videl however was gobsmacked, she had assumed that the slab that he had held over her head earlier had been full of foam insulation in order for the weight to not be so great. After watching him destroy a solid shelf with only a kick though made her have second thoughts. A reassuring pat on the shoulder brought her back to reality and she hurriedly followed the others as they made their escape. By now the firemen had gained control of the blaze and they were able to barge out the door relatively unharmed to a thunderous applause.

"Well done Videl," shouted the policemen, oblivious to what had occurred inside the shop. She tried to retort but suddenly found herself mobbed by reporters, wanting answers to what had just occurred. She fought her way through the crowd, trying to find the man who had saved her life along with the lives of the others. A rough hand grabbed her shoulder as another covered her mouth before she was pulled to the side in a deserted alley. Videl struggled to break free as the man holding her hid behind a dumpster where Videl noticed the man as the one who had rescued her earlier.

He placed a finger over his lips, signalling for her to be quiet. It was this moment that Videl realised that the man was just as famous as her. "You're Yamcha the Bandit," she said in an excited whisper, it wasn't often she got excited about seeing anyone but for the man known as the best sportsman in the world got very close.

"Yeah, that's why I don't want them to notice," he said looking lightly over the dumpster to see if anyone had followed them. "Can you imagine the headlines if a famous baseball player rescued a family from an inferno, the media would eat it up like there is no tomorrow."

"So you want me to say that it was all my doing," stated Videl.

"Well yes, you charged in after me so I take it you had the intention of saving them as well," said Yamcha.

"But I can't take credit for what someone else has done," said Videl.

"Could you say that a mysterious man did it then?" asked Yamcha.

"I guess I could get away with that but I want to know one thing, how were you able to lift that concrete slab?"

"Years of practise," chuckled Yamcha. "Years and years of solid training along with a solid goal to reach; if you make yourself reasonable goals to keep heading towards everything will go your way." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "I'm helping a few buddies start up a business to help make people stronger, come in if you want to give it a go."

"Thanks," said Videl taking the card from his hand.

"Don't mention it," he said as he got to his feet. "Catch you round," he said before he started running down the alleyway away from the crowds of reporters. Videl waved to him before looking at the card in her hand. _Sensei Yamcha_ it said in nice big letters before the smaller details noted that it was at the same place that she had gone less than a week ago.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said followed by a small curse as she pocketed the card. She turned towards the crowds as she got to her feet and would investigate later once the media got what they wanted.

...

It wasn't very often that Sharpner bowed his head, especially when already on hands and knees so that the brow of his head touched the ground. "Please Sensei, help me become stronger," he said before a hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up to see his eyes meeting those which were the eyes of a hardened warrior, but one filled with compassion.

"As of this day forth, you are one of my students," he said calmly.

Sharpner smiled before bowing his head again. "Thank you Sensei Gohan."

...

**Hope you enjoyed. Please review**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ**

**...**

Videl fiddled with the card in her hand, the one that Yamcha had given her two days ago. No doubt this was the place she was looking for, but at the same time it was the place she most feared. Her breakfast sat in front of her, growing colder by the second. Yet she would not touch it, the card was calling to her in an alluring tone, as if urging her to take a bite of something forbidden. To gamble with fate so much so that it could cost either her sanity or her life. She may have been overemphasizing the whole ordeal but that's what it almost felt like.

A door opened behind her, signalling that either her father or brother had awoken this Sunday morning. Shoving the card quickly in her pocket, she picked up the remains of breakfast and tossed them in the bed before the kitchen door opened. "Morning Videl," said Hercule as he walked in, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "What are you going to do today?"

"Nothing," replied Videl without looking at her father. "Probably see what Erasa is doing."

"So long as it has nothing to do with that Sharpner boy, he isn't in my good books at the moment and until he is I forbid you from seeing him," said Hercule with venom on his tongue.

"I'm not a kid, you can't tell me what I can and can't do," said Videl before she stormed, preventing Hercule from replying. He stood there, staring at the open door as if it signalled the distance that he was starting to grow with his daughter. With a defeated sigh, he set about preparing himself for the busy schedule the day had in store for him.

...

"I saw your advertisement in the paper," said Erasa slowly, looking at her potential employers. "I'm not very used to this kind of work, or any work really but..."

"Don't worry," said the man as he placed a hand on her shoulder, all three of his eyes focused on the girl in front of him. "You've shown the courage to stay even though you're clearly uncomfortable, that makes you the perfect candidate."

"You mean it?" asked Erasa, her eyes lighting up with hope.

"Your first shift starts tomorrow," said Tien with a smile.

...

Videl found herself walking the streets, walking simply to get away from that place she called a home. She had tried to get in contact with Erasa but the girl's mobile had been switched off for some odd reason, the girl's phone was never switched off, it was never on silent even. So either she'd lost it or it was broken, Videl had thought, although if she had broken it she was probably at the store buying a new one at the moment.

Videl contemplated ringing Sharpner, just to mock her father when her phone rang. Looking at the screen, she saw Erasa's name flashing at her, which only added to her curiosity. "What's happening Erasa?" she asked when she placed her phone to her ear.

"I've been at a job interview," said Erasa in her bubbly tone from across the line.

"You know what happened last time you went for a job at a clothes store," said Videl placing her vacant hand to her forehead, remembering the incident clearly.

"It's not at a clothes store though," said Erasa defending her situation. "And you and I both know that I was right in what I did."

"Where is it then?" asked Videl, trying to keep away from the other topic altogether.

"It's at that dojo we went to a while ago, I applied for the job there as a receptionist and got it," exclaimed Erasa but Videl was only half listening after the word dojo. Even though she fought crime on a regular basis, her best friend had more courage than her by simply going to a place she didn't want to. "Videl...Videl are you there?" asked Erasa snapping Videl back to reality.

"Yeah, congratulations," said Videl but her mood wasn't as enthusiastic as she would have liked it to be.

"Thanks, one of the guys there also said that the first training session was going to be tomorrow at noon, sort of like an introductory thing," explained Erasa.

"Cheers, anyway I've got to go so I'll see you later," said Videl.

"Sure thing, see you later then," replied Erasa before the connection cut. As it did, Videl's arm dropped to her side. Erasa had just told her the time when everything was going to be in place and making a solemn vow, she was not going to break it. She would be there, ready to face her demons, not only that, but she would win.

...

"You seem determined," said Mark as Videl continued to unleash a flurry of kicks into the bag in front of her.

"I need to be ready," said Videl, her pace not diverting in the slightest as she continued to channel blows into the bag which was beginning to look worse for wear.

"Let me guess," said Mark with a concealed smirk spread across his face. "You're preparing yourself for the opening training session at that gym tomorrow." Videl's kicks came to an abrupt halt as she turned around to look at her brother. "I'm on the money aren't I?"

"How do you know about that?" asked Videl.

"James, one of the men who had quit the dojo came crawling back, begging dad to let him rejoin in exchange for information," stated Mark. "All dad wanted to hear was their opening date before he told James that he would have to work twice as hard as before. Everything is back to the way it was." Videl remained silent, taking this information in before turning back towards the punching bag, starting to work on her punches. Mark continued, "Some of the other information we got was that one of their sensei's, the short one I think, has been in three of the last four tournaments, made it to the semi finals of each one. He should be able to teach you something of a middle range fighter, you might even learn how to fight people taller than you."

Mark burst into laughter as he walked out of the room, Videl having stopped her punching taking it in. In a burst of anger, her fist rocketed towards the punching bags with such strength it almost bust her knuckles. Her fist remained there, planted within the material as her face hung low. She looked back up at the bag, knowing that any fighter to teach her would be better than anyone at her father's gym, screamed through gritted teeth. The boxing bag seemed to be replaced by the figure of her brother, tormenting her and laughing all the while. She would not rest for several hours.

...

Videl stood there, breathing deeply as she looked at the door to the dojo. Around the building, it was clear that some improvements had been made, it no longer looked like the place was going to fall down at any second. There was no sign however indicating that this was a dojo, or even a store of any kind as if they weren't worried about attracting customers, either that or they didn't want to scare anybody off.

Inhaling, Videl stepped forward and placed her hand on the handle before letting herself inside. Immediately she saw the decorations which made her believe she was in a traditional dojo some centuries ago. The water feature was still running calming her soul. "Videl," squealed Erasa from behind the counter alerting Videl of her presence.

"Never thought I'd see you on the opposite side of the counter," joked Videl as she stepped forward to see her friend.

"It's great here, it's just so peaceful," said Erasa closing her eyes and listening to the water running.

"Tranquil," admitted Videl.

Erasa quickly snapped back to attention. "You're here for the training Videl, aren't you," assumed Erasa. "They're just about to start in there."

"Cheers," said Videl stepping around the corner, giving a quick wave to her friend. As she walked into the same room she had last time, she saw five people standing upright barefoot in the dirt. Kicking off her shoes and socks, placing them by the wall as she did, she joined the five of them and tried to look like she belonged there.

"Hey Videl," said Sharpner noticing the girl next to him, shocking Videl in the process.

"Sharpner?" exclaimed Videl looking at her friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Sensei Gohan took me in," explained Sharpner not taking his eyes off the front of the room as a door nearby opened. Everyone stood completely upright and stared at the wall in front of them as footsteps were heard behind them. Slowly, the four sensei's walked in one after the other, Gohan leading the way. He turned to face the potential students, Tien, Yamcha and Krillen lining up behind him one by one. He looked at them, staring them down one after the other as if analysing them. Videl could feel beads of sweat forming on her brow, the last thing she wanted was for him to unleash his willpower. The students all inhaled deeply as Gohan spoke.

"You all look completely stupid like that you know," he said causing them to fall over in an instance. Krillen and Yamcha struggled to keep their laughter hidden as Tien smiled at the sight while they got back to their feet. "In here," continued Gohan, "There is no master of martial arts, simply because one cannot be a master. We are all students and we can all become better at what we do."

"So what do we address you as?" asked Freed recovering first.

"There are no titles, simply call us by our names as if you would a friend," said Gohan. "Us four standing up here have fought tooth and nail many times before, fighting as if our lives depend on it. Yet while our skills may be similar, they are never identical. We can't teach you to how to win championships, but we will teach you how to fight to the best of your ability. We will not be teaching you an individual style of fighting, we will help you create your own."

Videl smiled, she was happy that she had worked up the courage to come. "So you'll be working us up by scratch?" asked Sharpner.

"Not completely," said Krillen stepping forward. "I myself was trained under the turtle hermit Master Roshi, known as a living legend amongst some of the greatest fighters the world has ever known. In twenty years, he managed to master a single technique which he himself created. After showing it to me and my friend, we were able to use it in less than a month."

"What technique takes twenty years to master?" asked a female student, the only other girl besides Erasa and Videl in the room.

Yamcha smiled as he stepped forward. "This technique is not something easily conducted, it took me several months to learn, even more so to get it to a stage where it could be used in a fight. We will not be focusing on Roshi's techniques for the time being, rather we need to see what you are capable of and how we are going to proceed in helping you improve."

"How we going to do that?" asked Videl.

A smirk spread across Tien's face as he stepped forward. When Videl saw the third eye in the centre of his forehead she got scared, especially when it moved to look around at everyone. "We will be having fights to analyse your strengths and your weaknesses before devising a plan to help you improve."

"So we're going to be fighting each other," stated the final guy in the room.

"No," said Gohan calmly. "You're going to be fighting us."

...

**For those of you who remember this fic from when it was owned by Razamataz22, be prepared because from here on out it's all original.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: We do not own DBZ**

…

_Ugghhh! Just what makes him so much better? He didn't even have to try! He swatted my attacks away like I was nothing but a mere annoying fly. I couldn't even get one hit! Not even one! And this wasn't the first time this had happened. Oh, no. This was the second time that I was easily defeated without so much as a flick of his wrist!_

Videl halted, unable to move as she furiously clenched her fists at her side with fingernails digging into the palm of each hand. Her head bowed as she mindlessly examined the cracks in the cement below her. The night seemed to howl around her, its winds freely moving and caressing against her face, as if it was teasing her by how swift it could be. Its temperature indicative of how cold its killing intent could be. Bloody killing intent! He hadn't used it against her this time, he hadn't even bothered, she was inferior to him in every way, unworthy. She didn't have this killing intent, had never even heard of such a thing. Did that make her…inadequate and weak? The wind kept blowing around her, taunting her again as she stood silently in the night.

**Rinnggg…Ringggg… **

Her phone echoed in the still of the night, vibrating in her back pocket and snapping her out of those disappointing thoughts. Her hands that had begun to throb from her fingers being scrunched in her palm, unclenched and reached towards the left back pocket where her phone was. As soon as she pulled it out, her quivering hand dropped it. The phone fell with a soft thud to the ground.

**Ringgg…Ringggg…**

She squatted down to her knees. Her awkward hands reaching blindly in the pitch darkness for her phone since the moon refused to act as her foe and not cast enough light onto the sidewalk.

**Ringgg…Ringggg…**

"Where is…" an irritated Videl mumbled before she grasped the phone and stood up. Right before she hurried to flip it open to, it stopped ringing. She stared blankly at it; the wind howling once again.

_Ughh! I wasn't even quick enough to answer a phone! A simple phone! _Videl bitterly thought as she reeled her hand back before launching it through the sky. She breathed in and out. Her heart becoming silent and heavy as it slowly throbbed within her chest, sending trembles across her body that fury was greedily devouring without sympathy.

_I mustn't get so agitated by this, _she thought, as she deeply inhaled and exhaled, using the breathing mechanism as a weapon and shield against the beast called rage. She gradually lifted her head up and continued to tread along her path.

Soon Videl's feet ceased to move as they came to the entrance of her home. No matter how much she tried to sweep her thoughts under the rug, she just couldn't.

"Welcome home, Miss Videl." The cheery old housemaid greeted as she closed the door behind the frustrated girl.

"Yeah," Videl quietly replied.

"Miss Videl, don't just stand there. You're already late for dinner." The old maid scolded before pushing Videl from behind, steering her in the direction of the bathroom. "Now, go wash up so you can eat," she ordered.

The sound of the water hitting the tiles as she lathered more and more shampoo into her hair was very relaxing, very tranquil indeed. Unfortunately it only served to remind her of _that place_, and _him._

'_Man, when is my turn?' Videl questioned as she folded her arms and looked across the field to observe the fight between Yamcha and the redhead who had already been there when she first arrived. Even though the chills that came across her skin showed her apprehension, she was determined to prove herself. 'If this girl can get a hit on Yamcha, then I can at least…' Videl stopped herself from this thought. As if she would lower herself down by showing some cleavage like the redhead, just to get the upper hand on her opponent. And plus, Yamcha didn't appear fazed when the redhead's fist crashed against the baseline of his chin._

_She felt a small finger tap on her shoulder. Videl turned around to face a grinning Gohan._

"_You're up Videl."_

"_I thought I was going after.." Videl voice trailed at the end as she looked at Gohan's child-like eyes. The same eyes that had once held a vicious intent that made her body cower in terror before her mind could process anything. _

"_What?"Gohan questioned as he stared back at her._

"_Nothing. Just know that I'm not going down as easy as last time." Videl confidently stated. _

_After spending the entire night pondering, she felt confident that she knew the secret to his trick now. All she had to do was make sure her eyes didn't lock with his for more than 5 seconds during their spar. Sure, he had easily defeated Sharpener without moving as much as an inch. But she was Videl Satan. She had proven herself to be an awesome fighter, and a large part of that was attributable to the fact that she was always learning from her opponents from just one fight. This spar shouldn't be hard at all. Yeah that's right. It was going to be a piece of cake this time._

"_I'm ready now. You can come anytime you want." Gohan said, interrupting Videl's thoughts. No matter how nicely he said it, his words irked the crap out of her._

_Videl transitioned over to her combative stance; tuning out everything as she focused on her opponent before her. Her fighting senses were escalating, as she prepared herself for this moment. She was determined to put her capabilities on display. For only a brief second as she got ready, she glimpsed at his eyes._

"_Wha…" Videl gasped at what she saw._

"_What?" Gohan replied, as his eyebrows temporarily scrunched up on his forehead._

"_It's nothing." Videl stated as she shook her head to rid herself of an uneasy feeling. How was it possible? Gohan didn't have that certain look in his eye. The commanding murderous intent he held deep within them the other day was nowhere to be found. She didn't know whether she should be relieved or disturbed by such. But now wasn't the time to worry about this. She had to prove herself._

_A great gust of wind and dirt hit her abdomen with a force she never experienced before, sending her body instantly flying backwards. She gave it everything she had, and just barely managed to propel herself forward, flipping in the air and outstretching her leg in just the right angle to come at him. She felt heavier and slower than she ever remembered feeling, but she could see with clarity that she was going to get in a clean strike across his cheek._

_"Hiya!" she involuntarily let out the sound to cement her victory, when she suddenly found herself on the floor._

_Blinking rapidly, she snapped her neck up in an effort to ascertain what had just happened. She was but an inch from nailing him with her boot, what had happened?_

_Sharpener came rushing out from the sidelines to lift her up by her shoulders, checking to see if she was okay._

"_Videl. Are you okay? Man you missed him by a mile and crashed down pretty badly" Sharpener called out worriedly, as he held onto her shoulders. But Videl, with widened eyes stared at Gohan, unable to process what in the hell had just occurred. Gohan walked up to the duo and extended a hand to help her up. But she simply stared at him._

'_This…How… I don't understand. What did I do wrong?' _

"_Videl…" Sharpener called as he began to gently shake her shoulders, attempting to snap her out of it. _

_'Videl' he called to her again_

_'Videl' he continued to steadily call her name._

'_He didn't even try!'_

"_Videl!" _

'_What's the matter with me!'_

"VIDEL!" Mark shouted through the bathroom door, his fists pounding so hard that she was sure that the door would give.

"What do you want? I'm in the shower!"

"I'm hungry, and dad says we can't start till you come out. Now, COME OUT!"

…

Dinner was the usual affair, her brother and father seemed incapable of talking about anything but martial arts. And though usually she'd be right in there alongside them, she was finding it difficult to chew her food, let alone talk about something that had left her feeling so puzzled.

_I was an inch from striking him, he was just standing there, and I…_

"VIDEL!" her brother practically barked at her, causing her to snap her head up as she almost dropped her fork on her plate of food.

"What?" Videl carelessly asked as she picked at her food with her fork.

"For the millionth time – where were you? And why didn't you answer your phone when we called?" Mark questioned as he sliced off a piece of steak to put in his mouth.

"No reason." Videl replied. Mark placed his knife and fork down before he grabbed a napkin to wipe his face. Videl continued to pick at her food with her fork, not acknowledging him whatsoever.

"So…How did it go this time?" Mark continued to question, his voice laced with a bit more irritation.

"Hm?" Videl said as her eyes finally made contact with her brother.

"How can you even think that you can beat me if you can't pay the slightest attention to what I'm saying?" He spat before breaking off into laughter, causing the corners of Videl's mouth to slightly turn down in a scowl. His face took on a serious demeanour as he continued to say, "You're just making yourself look dumb and weak. But I shouldn't expect much else from a girl, even if we share the strongest man in the world as our father."

Videl slammed her hands on the table, shaking the dishes upon them, as she stood up out of her seat. "What do you know! You..!" Videl stopped herself, as her eyes settled into slits to glare at her brother.

"I'm what?" he questioned, his lip quivering as if a smirk threatened to spread across his face. Despite that though, he tried to keep an indifferent expression, his eyes void of everything. The vacant gaze somehow reminded her of Gohan. But Gohan didn't tease her like her brother. No, her brother was someone who could easily get underneath her skin and whom the gods blessed; meanwhile they cursed her every single time she lost to him. But not any longer. She refused to let this bastard get to her anymore! _That's exactly what he wants!_

"I'm sorry; I didn't quite hear what you were saying?" Mark taunted as he leaned one ear forward. Her eyes widened a bit, to get rid of her cold stare.

"It's nothing." Videl smiled, "I'm not hungry. I'm off to bed."

"But dad…" a baffled Mark began to protest, looking towards their father for support.

Videl lifted her hand, the backside waving him off as she left the table. He could do nothing but continue eating. She'd be damned if she was going to sit around talking to him anymore, much less talk to her father and have to explain what had happened earlier.

_Yeah, like I could even if I tried._

…

"A croissant and orange juice please." Erasa demanded as she placed her money on the counter. Erasa's eyes glanced worriedly at her watch. She had woken up a bit late this morning, so she had to do breakfast on the go. This new job was amazing, the environment was so calm and peaceful; she definitely didn't want to start screwing up by coming to work late in her first week.

"One croissant, one orange juice" the lady behind the cash register said, as she placed the two items on the counter, taking Erasa's money.

"Thank you, BYE!" Erasa grabbed her purchase and hurriedly walked out the door. She rounded a corner and noisily picked up her pace as she turned into the street of her workplace.

"Videl?" she stopped just outside the premises, spying her best-friend just standing there, staring at the building.

"Hey Erasa, cutting it a bit thin aren't ya?" Videl questioned as she greeted her friend.

"Yeah, I know. I was on the phone for eons last night. Thank goodness I have this job now, otherwise my parents were gonna give me hell about the bill." She replied, taking this opportunity to take a sip of her orange juice. "So…what are you doing out here?" she asked her friend

"Oh, nothing." Answered Videl, "I just wanted to come in and check out the training schedules, you know." She shrugged uninterestedly.

"Oh. Okay. Come, one of the senseis are bound to be here already," Erasa merrily said as she began walking, with Videl following behind.

Erasa entered first into the building and headed straight for the receptionist desk. She undid her scarf and neatly tied it on the coat hanger, slinging her purse there as well. She rushed to sit down at the computer and log in to see if there were any memos from her bosses. Erasa was relieved to note that there was nothing out of the ordinary. Videl, on the other hand, was becoming a tad bit impatient as she nosily tapped her right foot against the tile floor. Her body leaned up on the desk, with her head propped upon her elbow as she wondered how long it will take to get the information she craved for. Erasa noticed her anxious friend out the corner of her eye.

"Let me gobble this down quickly and I'll take you out back Videl." She said, as she began to munch into her croissant.

"So how many registered students does this place have already?" Videl casually asked, her eyes fixated on the water feature before her. The sound of the water as it crashed against the pebbles was very soothing, and she needed a bit of comfort to assuage her wrecked nerves. She still couldn't believe her humiliation of the day before.

"Spying for papa dearest?" Erasa joked, as she used the serviette that the croissant had been wrapped in to wipe the crumbs from the corners of her mouth.

"Yeah. Sure." was Videl's response.

"Come on Videl, lighten up, geez. I'm no expert, but even little old me can tell that you're stressed." Erasa observed, as she downed the last contents of her paper-cup.

"Try having _your_ skills reduced to naught," muttered Videl. "Trust me, you'd be stressed too."

"That bad huh?" her friend came from behind her working area after tossing her cup into the bin. She snaked her arm around Videl's waist and gave her a squeeze. "Come, let's see go in and see the sensei's. A few days in this place, and you'll definitely be giving that pompous ass of a brother you have a run for his money." Said Erasa

"I didn't say anything about my brother Erasa. I was talking about my non spar yesterday."

"Sure. Sure, you were." Erasa patted her, as she steered her out back to the training area. She knew Videl and she knew her brother.

"Good morning Videl, Erasa" said Tien without even looking up. His index finger was supporting his entire frame as he balanced perfectly, in a handstand.

"Morning Tien." Erasa said dreamily, inwardly scolding herself for her inability to turn away from the magnificent sight of her boss's bulging muscles.

"Morning" Videl said nervously, "How did you even know it was us?" she asked, perplexed, because the guy hadn't even looked up from his headstand. Sure, he might have heard the sound of their footsteps as their shoes crushed against the pebbles, but…they could have been a duo of _anyone._

Tien couldn't help but smile at her question. They had so much to teach their students. So much.

"That's a lesson for another time Videl, assuming that you've decided to sign up?" Tien let his inflection ask the question as he abandoned his headstand and promptly flipped himself to a standing position.

"I think she's decided." Erasa beamed, giving Videl another squeeze. "She's here to enquire about training schedules, I'll leave her to you while I go and sort out a few things in front."

"I see." Was Tien's reply, as Erasa unlinked herself from her friend. With a bright smile, she waved a quick 'bye' to her friend and boss before she walked back to the reception area.

"Let's take a stroll." Tien addressed his pupil, as he began to do just that. "We're very flexible here," he began. "One of us will always be here from sun-up every morning till closing time."

"I know yesterday was more for demonstrative purposes, but…I would really like to learn. Will you t-train me Tien?" she asked hopefully, her voice almost failing her. She wanted this so badly.

"That's why I'm here." Tien gave her a warm smile as he pushed open a large swing door.

Videl stared in wonder at the sight before her. This place was truly magnificent. Before her lay a quaint little garden with green grass, fragrant colourful flowers and a litter of young trees. A small man-made stream of crystal water flowed on the borders, making a quiet noise where the water hit the strategic smooth rocks.

"How do you feel Videl?" Tien asked when he turned his eyes on her.

"I feel fine, just anxious to start. Why?"

Tien smiled at her, as he sat down on the grass, his legs crossed and folded in front of him. "Sit, please" he patted the space next to him. "How this room makes you feel is very important for our lesson. You see Videl, emotions play an intrinsic role in any fight. What's in here…" he pointed at his heart, "and in here…" he tapped at his forehead, "can be the deciding factor in a match, especially once all the other factors have equalized. Speed, strength, skill."

"I-I…" she didn't know what to say really, she was hoping for something a little more physical.

"Most students like to kick things off with something a bit more physical, but…in the words of a great Lama, first, one must tune their heart and mind to the wavelength of spaciousness, freedom and happiness. Sit." He commanded, and watched as Videl hesitantly took her place across from his.

"Your legs should always be crossed, balance your shoulders and arms like a vulture about to launch into flight, and always have your neck as straight as an arrow." Tien began to instruct the champ's daughter on the physical aspects of meditation.

Half an hour later when Erasa tip-toed into the tiny zen garden to announce the arrival of another student, Videl was already deep in, holding the rope of mindfulness and the hook of alertness, as her body, mind and soul sought to find an internal equilibrium. Not wanting to disturb, Erasa backtracked quietly out of the garden, her light footsteps seemingly gliding over the path of pebbles meandering back to reception.

…

**Hope you enjoyed.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Brought to you by Vira676 and Son Goshen**

* * *

><p>Just as Videl walked through the door of their mansion, her father immediately spoke up. "Where have you been, sweet pea? You've been gone all day!" Mr. Satan said, his voice laced heavily with suspicion. His daughter had said that she was going to Erasa's today, but when he had called the girl's home, her mother had proclaimed that she wasn't home wither.<p>

The champ had then proceeded to call Sharpner's home, figuring that if Videl wasn't at Erasa's, then she was probably at the other blonde's house. But the phone just rang on without anyone picking up. Mr. Satan's thoughts had immediately jumped to the probability that she had found a boy to date, but that thought had been banished just as quickly as it had come. His little girl didn't have time for boys, she couldn't possibly be having a secret romance behind his back, could she?

Videl scowled at the sound of her father's voice. Would it kill him to be quiet for just one day? She didn't have time for his dramatics, her mind was still thinking over the lesson she had just had with Tien. It had left her feeling so-

"Don't just stand there Videl, where were you?" The champ's voice once more invaded her line of thought. Videl shut her eyes for just a second and sighed. "No where dad, I was just out." She stepped past him and began walking in the direction of her room, up the wooden staircase. "Hey, come back!" Mr. Satan protested. His little girl was not one to just bypass him without a little chit-chat."Videl!" he called after her, trying to decide if he should follow her. Videl chose to ignore him outright this time. The only sound she made was of the heavy footsteps as she climbed the stairs. When she finally reached her room, she shut and locked the door behind her, even though a tiny part of her conscience poked at her. Her father didn't mean any harm, and she felt a fleeting sense of guilt.

Eyes closed, Videl lay on her back on her giant bed, reflecting on the day's training. The art of meditation was truly amazing, more so than she had ever imagined. When she had first come across the concept many years ago, she had dismissed it as a silly thing where someone sat in a specific position and fell asleep. She smiled at her previous foolishness now. It hadn't all been her doing though, her father had exacerbated her theory on her then still young and impressionable mind, drilling into her head that it was all nonsense and that one would never get anything out of it.

With just one lesson at the new dojo, she could see how wrong those ideas had been. Meditation had done wonders with calming down her emotions and thoughts. She had felt very peaceful and soothed in the Zen garden. In fact, she still felt very zen and peaceful, which is why the loud and intrusive voice of her father had suddenly seemed like such a bother.

She shifted her weight on the comfortable mattress and chuckled, thinking of how nervous she had felt, just sitting there next to Tien. At first nothing happened at all, only the silence had surrounded them. She had found herself suddenly so aware of her heartbeat and breathing, the two rhythmic sounds became very prominent to her ears. After a long while, she had truly begun to panic, as nothing was happening. Tien had already taken her through the process, he had already explained how she should go about the whole thing, and while she was busy panicking, trying hard not to fidget, he had quietly left her on her own.

Videl found herself giggling on her bed, as she recalled how she had giggled after Tien had left her. See, bored of the dark, she had opened one eye and spotted a mouse sitting in the corner, snoozing gently. But she had clamped her mouth shut as soon as the sound had escaped her throat. For some reason, she had found herself watching the mouse from the corner of her eye as it snoozed on.

Something about its state of peace had affected her, and before she knew it, her eyelids had slowly drooped.

She felt herself sinking into a pool of darkness, as if she had crossed an imaginary line. Peace.

* * *

><p>As soon as his daughter entered and locked her bedroom door, the champ knew better than to chase after her and bother her. He returned to his parlour and immediately began thinking, his little brain quickly jumping to ludicrous theories. Perhaps his daughter was seeing someone after all! If he got his hands on that boy, he'd pound him to the ground. Little did he notice that the pencil in his hand snapped into two pieces, with splinters flying out.<p>

Other theories came and passed, but none managed to rile him up as much as that one. And so, just as he'd thought that the worst possible thing she could do was date a boy behind his back…the most horrifying thought of them all suddenly came to him. Maybe Videl wasn't having a secret romance at all, maybe she was…maybe she was… attending that new dojo!

Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead as he realized what that would mean.

His daughter would discover that he had been lying about those energy bomb things that the warriors at the Tenkaichi Budokai were able to produce from their bare hands. He had no doubt that the fellows in that dojo were the type to make those abominable things.

Mr. Satan left his whiskey on the table and stormed out the mansion. He ordered his driver to take him straight to his dojo. His nerves were shot, and he needed to check up on the place, to make sure that things were still in order.

When he arrived, he saw to his dismay that it was relatively empty. There were hardly any students in sight, with lots of equipment unoccupied. This could not be, usually students would be waiting out to get to the next punching bag or mat. This scene was very worrying, very worrying indeed.

He spotted one of his longtime students, Jonah, appearing by the changing rooms. Jonah walked over to his sensei with a guilty expression on his face. "Sensei, I'm quiting the program" he blurted bluntly, while watching Mr. Satan's face anxiously, wondering if the champ would explode. When he said nothing, Jonah took a step back and bowed. "I am sorry, sir, but for the past year, I felt as if I didn't improve. I'm going to the new place to try my luck there."

Mr. Satan still didn't talk; he just stood there, wondering if all the students that were not present were actually at this new place. "Good bye, Mr. Satan" Jonah made one final bow to his old master and swiftly left the premises.

It was a good thing that Mr. Satan knew how to do a perfect poker face, or his disappointment and surprise would have shown. Yet another student had quit his dojo for the new place. He had to do something drastic, this could not be allowed to continue!

* * *

><p>"Alright, listen up, everybody!" Yamcha's voice rang out clearly in the spacious room as the students hurriedly gathered together, forming an unorganized clump in the middle. Two, in haste, tripped over their own feet.<p>

Videl blinked in surprise as she found herself standing next to Jonah. She knew him to be one of her father's prized students. She was surprised that he had quit like so many others, but she couldn't fault his logic, this new place was turning out to be pretty good. She turned her head back to Yamcha's direction as Gohan, Tien, and Krillin stepped into the room.

"Once again, we'll be fighting you, just like last time," Yamcha declared.

The students gulped, fighting these guys was no picnic.

Krillin stepped forward and pointed a finger at Videl with an enthusiastic smile. "You're up against me!" he said cheerfully.

Videl swallowed her nerves and stepped forward. She got into her stance and observed Krilin's form. The girl nearly did a double take when she looked into his eyes. She had expected them to be determined like Gohan's, but it was nowhere near it. They were full of warmth and happiness, the complete opposite of his.

She let out a mental sigh of relief. Hopefully Krillin would be easier to fight than Gohan. He was shorter than she was, so she could use that as an advantage. The fact that he didn't radiate that frightening aura was also a plus. She could work with this, she told herself.

The former monk gave an impish grin and beckoned her to charge forward. The camp's daughter stood, still crossing her fingers that the small bald man in front of her would be easier to deal with. The two second spar with Gohan the day before, had been all the embarrassment she could handle in a twenty-four hour period. Now that she was fully facing the little man she was sure that she could save face. Come one, he was after all, no bigger than four feet high and really didn't seem like much. _I can win this one. Piece of cake._

Krillin took his defensive fighting stance. "Don't worry Videl. I'll go easy on you. Come on." The bald man beckoned her forward with his hand. Videl scowled, go easy on me? Who did he think he was? Talking as if she couldn't even fight. Surely, he was simply underestimating her. He had to be out of his mind, if he really believed that she was no match for him. Videl lowered her gaze to a glare. _Alright then you mocking little shrimp. _She charged him, jumping into one of her flying kicks with a smirk, once her foot connected; she knew it would be game over.

However, what happened next shocked her to no end. The little man caught her by the ankle and spun her to the ground, knocking the breath out of her. _How?_

"Hmm… I think you made the wrong choice there Videl. You left yourself wide open. You really need to be calmer in your attacks. I deliberately left you an opening; if you had used your wits you would have had more of a chance of taking me down."Krillin pointed out the flaws of her technique, and then offered her a hand up.

Though her pride wanted to refuse the help and make an uncouth comment, Videl took the man's hand and roused to her feet. "I really don't know what to say." She looked down at her feet, slightly embarrassed.

"It's alright you'll do better next time. Now you'll know to be calm, look for an opening and take it, instead of just going for what you think is your best attack. I'll be looking to see some improvement on that next time we meet." Krillin explained , "for now though, go with Gohan for your next lesson in the garden." The bald man said as he turned his attention to the next student.

"Now Sharpener you're up next." He called up the blonde

The tall teen with jet black hair in a blue combat suit approached her. "Come, we'll go in here till the sorting gets through." He smiled down at her.

_Great._ Thought Videl, as she stood up and followed Gohan into the garden. "More of them may join us. So don't worry you won't be the only one today that take's Krillin's size as his weakness." Gohan laughed a bit as he crossed over into the Zen garden.

"Sorting? What do you mean?" Videl looked in curiosity.

"Well before we can choose which of us can teach you on a more permanent basis, we need to identify each students primary weakness." Gohan offered as he walked further into the garden. "You will be with me." he informed her, gracing her with a soft smile. Videl tried not to be affected by its gentleness; she knew firsthand how scary he could be if he so wished it. "You need to start with evaluating your opponents more, scrutinizing them in a way that will help you decide on a plan of attack. I'll be helping you with that particular skill."

Videl scowled and pushed her gaze to the ground.

"How?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Simple I'll train you to focus your thoughts and open your mind to the possibilities in a fight. Where the person is the strongest and where to weak spot is, if there is one." Gohan chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head with a big smile across his face.

"If there is one? Isn't there always a weak spot? I mean no one can be completely guarded, can they?" She sat down on a small bench that was beside too little man made streams.

Gohan sat down beside her. They had never been so close before in a non-fighting way. The heat from his body was amazing. Videl could feel it in waves and it made her heart beat a little faster than normal. This confused her somewhat because all he had done was sit down next to her and look at her. Now he was speaking to her, though she was too dumbfounded by the reaction she was having to his nearness, to properly follow.

"Hmm…Videl?" Gohan looked at her somewhat oddly.

"Huh…oh I mean yes." Videl snapped back into reality.

"Are you alright? You went blank there for a minute." The tall teen pointed out with a smile.

Videl cleared her throat. _Way to go Videl_, she scolded herself inwardly. "Yes I'm fine. I was just…well…" She looked down at the rock path. What could she say? There was no good reason she could give for not paying attention. He was her teacher, and as a student she should always be all ears. Oh god, her heart was beating so fast now, she could hear it ringing in her ears.

_What's wrong with me? I never let guys affect me like this. So why him of all people? The one that crippled me with fear on our first meeting. The one whom I can't figure out. Oh god, I think I'm getting feverish._

Gohan raised an eyebrow at the girl sitting next to him. She still hadn't looked back at him, nor had she finished what she had just started to say. "Hmm…anyway Videl just remember that some opponents may have no weak spots, which means, it'll be up to you to create one. But we'll go over all that later," he said, as he abruptly stood up.

Sharpener was entering the garden as well.

Videl sighed. _Thank Kami he moved. Still…why can't I shake this feeling? _She rubbed her temple, hoping that there was a way to get rid of the annoying pounding in her head.

"Videl, Sharpner will be in our group. He was also too hasty and lacking concentration. See you'll be surprised at how many will come in here." Gohan patted her on the shoulder, trying to give her comfort even though none was received.

"Not a big surprise that Sharpener was unobservant." She shrugged his hand off her shoulder and never met his gaze.

Gohan lowered his brow, unsure of how Videl was feeling. He turned his attention to Sharpner who, was scowling at the world's savior's daughter, for her comment.

"And just what is that supposed to mean Videl? At least I lasted for more than a mere second"

"Humph, that's only because you went after I did, probably trying to use something different than my attack." She stood up and cast a dirty glare at Sharpener before addressing Gohan. "Can I go or is there something more for today?"

"You may leave when you wish. Though don't you want to know who else is going to be fighting with you?" He didn't know why she seemed so agitated and on edge all the time.

"No I don't really care right now. I just want to go." Was her hasty response.

"Videl, you meditated with Tein yesterday, right?" Gohan stepped forward.

"Yes." She answered trying to sound less irritated but failed horribly.

Gohan giggled a bit. "Go sit down by the rocks over there and try to clear your mind before you leave today. You seem very stressed out. You have to remember that today can't be helped, only tomorrow can."

Videl rolled her eyes but did as he instructed. She sat down next to the large rocks on the other side of the stream and listened to the water run.

An hour or so later, Videl was feeling better. There were two other students in the garden now. The red headed girl and Jonah. Gohan seemed to be gone though.

"Videl…" Sharpener came to stand next to her, "I'm so so so sorry I snapped, but you know how I am after I lose a fight. I just get really mad and-"

"I know." Videl said, cutting the boy's words short.

"Oh…well I'm sorry anyway. "He hung his head.

"It's alright Sharpener. I don't care much about that. I'm sorry for what I said too." Videl stood and gave him a small smile.

"Really? You mean you're not mad at me?"

"No I'm not mad."

"Good." Sharpener walked off to the other two and sat next to Jonah.

At that moment, Gohan re-entered the garden. "Alright everyone from now on you four will report to me. I will be the one to train you, until you move to your next level. Come back here at noon tomorrow. You all did well today but when you come back, that's when the real fun will begin. Till next time." Gohan bowed to the four students and they all bowed back at him.

* * *

><p>Later that night Videl came home. She had gone out with Erasa to the mall for a bit after class. She hadn't spoken much, considering that she was still somewhat dazed by the day at the dojo. Of course she hadn't needed to talk too much with her friend around, Erasa could talk for five people without stopping.<p>

Now she was home now though, it was early, only eight o'clock but some for some reason she was ready for bed.

"Videl!" She flinched as the sound of her father's voice echoed through her ears. He was the last person that she wanted to have a talk with at the moment. She knew it was rude of her, but she just kept walking, up the stairs and into her room.

"VIDEL!" The sounds of his footsteps came behind hers on the wooden stairs. Videl raced up the steps and ran to her room slamming her door shut behind her. She looked at her bed, it was all made up, nice and cozy. _Ah yes…definitely going to bed now._She pulled back her soft silk covers, and then changed into a night gown. As she slid into the bed she remembered what Gohan had told her. _Some opponents may have no weak spot. _That's what she wanted, no weak spots. She smiled thinking of that possibility and drifted into a deep and tranquil slumber…


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Team Dragon Star does not own Dragon Ball Z.**

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Happy New Year as well. **

"Dad, I'm going out to train again!" Videl called out cheerfully as she dashed out the door of the mansion, clearly in a rush. From the state of messiness of her clothes, it was clear that she threw them on as quickly as she could. She must've also yanked a brush through her raven hair, since it was still a tangled mess done carelessly in her usual two pigtails. Despite the very ruffled appearance, her voice was bright and her eyes were shining as a big smile refused to leave her face, meaning that she was clearly hyped up for training at that new dojo this morning..._again._

Her father, Mr. Satan, noted all of these and carefully analyzed it in his mind. There had to be something in the dojo that drew her in. Or was it just that she wanted to prove that she could beat her brother, then himself? Training was something Videl had always loved doing, but to the point of this obsession… it was something that never occurred while she was still in his facility.

The world martial arts champion ran his fingers through his beard, thinking hard. He had now grown to dislike this other place. From what he saw, he predicted that it would be a big challenge to his training facility within a few months. His own students had abandoned him to go there.

"Mark!" he called out. His son was… somewhere around the area of the house he was at. He was pretty sure, as Mark had passed him moments ago, before Videl had run off.

Said boy poked his head through the doorway of one of the empty rooms. "Yeah, dad?" he asked. His hair dripped with sweat, as more poured down his face. Mr. Satan assumed that he was training. The empty rooms were quite useful for that.

"Get over here!" he replied, waving his hands to his son, beckoning him to the dining table. Mark took the towel hanging on the wall and wiped his face with it, removing the sweat and grime. He then sauntered over.

"What's up, old man?" he questioned casually.

"I'm worried about your sister," Mr. Satan started. Mark nodded. "Well you see," he continued, "I don't think that the dojo you suggested was that good of an idea."

Mark tilted his head in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"It's just that… she's so interested in the place! I feel like something is up."

His son leaned against the white wall and chuckled, "Hahaha! That's just like you, dad." He then assured, "worrying about lil sis. She'll be fine, don't worry." He waved his hand in an uncaring fashion before adding, "Stop been so uptight."

Mr Satan's eyebrows knitted together. "I am her father! I have every right to be worried about her!" he protested. "Mark, you're her big brother! Be a little responsible, can't you?"

Mark stopped laughing. "What do you want me to do then? Stalk her? Yeah, right," he said, snorting derisively. He shook his head slowly while he had an expression of disbelief on his face. Honestly, what had gotten into his dad?

"That's what I want you to do," his father said, crossing his arms. "Find out what that dojo is doing. I want to know." There was a note of finality in his tone, meaning that Mark should not argue any further.

The boy sighed, "Fine, fine, dad, whatever you say." He walked off, slapping his hand to his forehead at the same time. "Stupid, freaking paranoid dad. As if I have time for this."

He strode out the door of the mansion stiffly, slamming the door shut as he went. And as Mark sank deeper into his thoughts, he became numb to his surroundings, his mind set to a machine-like state, guiding his body around the road automatically. He didn't even acknowledge or notice anything about the people moving around or into the unfamiliar buildings. To be honest, he did kind of agreed with Mr. Satan. This situation did seem a little fishy, but not big enough to order someone to stalk.

After wandering for some time, he halted. His eyes scanned the area before him, finally realizing that he was now in the more suburb areas of Satan City, but more importantly he had noticed that he stood in front of a strange building that looked as if it was built out of bamboo. Curious as to this mysterious place, Mark allowed his fingers to lightly brush upon the structure. He gasped, 'it was. How very interesting.'

Mark jogged up the steps and into the lobby, where he found a familiar figure sitting in front of the front desk. She seemed to be immersed in a fashion magazine. With her blonde pixy hair and cerulean blue eyes, he identified the girl as Erasa, his little sister's best friend.

She raised her head as she saw that a person had entered. Erasa let out a small shriek and covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here, Mark?"

Mark winced at her loud tone.

"I was about to ask you that," he retorted. "What are you doing here, out of all places? I never knew a martial arts place held any interest to you."

Erasa blushed deeply. "I wanted a job," she defended, "and you still haven't answered my question."

Mark waved his hand, "Pah. You don't need to know. And here I thought I could go around the city by my free will and without anyone questioning me."

She put on her fakest grin and said, "Alright Mark. Just know that if you cause any trouble…

He interrupted her quickly. "What you'll call the police? How pathetic, knowing that they love the great Satan." He would proceed to the back.

Stopping him with her words, she said through another bright smile and a cheerful voice, "I wouldn't think of doing something like that. No. I would just tell them to not go easy on you when they put you in your place."

Mark laughed, "Haha. Real funny. I'll like to see them try." Then he disappeared completely from Erasa's sight.

Mark continued walking along the dark hall, brushing his hand along the way. There was light up ahead, and he sidled by the wall until he was nearly out in the open.

His body was still hidden in the shadows so no one would notice if they just shot a glance. He was pretty surprised to see what was in front of him. The room was very large and the floor was barren. There weren't many students there, and most of them he recognized as the old people back at his dad's dojo.

The teachers he had registered in his mind as rather famous people. An example of such was Yamcha, who was a _very _famous baseball player. He noted that that strange floating blue cat was there by him, like always. Yamcha was also a famed martial artist, having practiced under the legendary Master Roshi himself. He participated in the previous World Martial Arts Tournaments before his father did, always getting in the semi-finals but never further.

Yamcha also knew some strange moves like the Kamehameha wave, shooting a weird blue energy out of his hands, but Mark's father dismissed them. "Those are tricks, you hear that Mark? Cheap tricks because those fakers don't know how to do proper stuff like your father does!" his father had said sternly.

Mark focused on the centre of the room. There were two people fighting. One was Freed, a student who had recently left his father's training. The other he recognized as Sharpener, his sister's other best friend. Speaking of the devil… Videl was currently sitting in the corner of the dirt floor, intently watching the battle that was about to occur.

Sharpener had iron cuffs clasped onto his ankles with thick iron chains trailing behind. Attached to the end of those iron chains were two large iron balls, like a prison gang. Sweat soaked the white t-shirt he was wearing, and his hair was also damp. He appeared to be very concentrated on his opponent. The blonde was panting slightly as the iron chains slowly began to wear his energy away. After all, the fight had lasted for quite a long time already. But then his stance became tense, meaning that he was preparing to be struck any moment, or that he was ready to strike. He slid smoothly into a position that would be most effective in his current position. There appeared a determined glint in his eyes.

But Mark didn't notice the change in Sharpener. He was left wondering, _'Now how the hell are you supposed to fight with those on?'_

Sharpener charged immediately, intending to end the fight quickly. He hoped that Freed wouldn't notice the speed difference his 'burden' forced, the burden being the iron balls attached to his feet. If he didn't Sharpener could easily take the offensive, and hit him with a well-placed blow ending the spar right then. A simple yet swift jab to his gut would do rather well.

As Sharpener continued to stare at his opponent, calculating his own moves, he realized that unlike Satan's dojo, he was actually learning how to fight properly. It was like he was being educated on how to conquer difficult situations. Similarly when solving a math problem, one would only want one answer; the right one. And there are many ways to get to it and many ways to get lost trying to find it. At Satan's dojo, he would never get the right answer thinking that two plus two was three, and with that he got, he had only learned one way. But, here at the Son Dojo they would not only teach you, that two plus two equalled four, but also two times two equalled four, or even that eight divided by two equalled four. Under their instruction, it was as if he could suddenly solve any math problem or conquer any situation; more specifically this one where he theorized on how to end the fight. It was exhilarating knowing that there were so many ways he could do this; just so many ways he could defeat an opponent. With a smirk settling on his face, Sharpener decided how to attack then and there.

Before he could get the first hit in; however, Freed ducked low, his hands ready at his sides. As expected the blonde haired student went sailing over the new student.

Freed smirked and began to rise up, he was an idiot. A looser and nothing could ever change that. He was just a pathetic idiot. No brains and he certainly had no brawn either. He'd always received the lowest scores at school and had been the laughing stock of the Satan dojo. He'd only had a white belt… which he still had. Foolishly thinking that he had the upper hand, Freed smirked and began to rise up from his crouched position.

Foolishly thinking he had the upper hand, Freed smirked and began to rise up. (Would've added this to the end of last paragraph)

Even though, Sharpener had been one of the first to leave and join the new Dojo; it did not matter since it hadn't helped him in the slightest. He would still lose to any newcomer who was more tactical, stronger, or faster than him. However, Freed failed to recognise that he had overlooked one tiny detail.

The iron balls attached to Sharpener's feet followed their owner and smashed straight into Freed's chin, knocking his head up at an awkward angle and leaving him with a crushed and bloody jawline.

Despite that, Freed rose up once more. He had to prove to them, as he had done to Hercule, that he was special. He was one of Hercule's best students, and when he had enrolled at the newer dojo he had to start from scratch. The humiliation from doing such costed him too much. He had to do grunt work; he wasn't allowed to spar with anyone below a white belt. Speaking of which, his brown belt had been ripped up in front of his own eyes.

Apparently as Sensei Tien, said it, "Only the very best of the best ever get to wear a brown belt." At this dojo, it was a very special honour. He had only seen one man, strangely not even Sensei Gohan, wear the belt. Oddly enough the man had what seemed to be, an almost unrivalled temper. It was funny what these people considered honour to be.

But it didn't matter. He'd rise up once again, to the very top. With a determined look in his eye, Freed walked over to where Sharpener was beginning to rise, slowly forming into a stance... Quickly, Freed delivered a swift kick to the mid-thigh before lifting his foot in-between both and snapping it down, purposely not hitting Sharpener's legs.

While his foot didn't connect, the iron ball connected to his foot did. If the ball hadn't missed by the centimetre, that it did, he'd have surely shattered Sharpener's knee-cap.

...

Gohan frowned at this display. He thought that he'd taught his students better than to attack another while they're down. Just as he was about to interrupt the mock fight, he noticed a shadowy figure leaning against the wall on the opposite corridor.

With little noise, and practiced ease he raised both hands over his head in a cross. As a duplicate formed right next to him, he cut around the dojo to corridor. As he looked back at the Shadowy figure once more, he gave a satisfied smirk when noting that his duplicate had focused back on the fight.

'_Odd thing is; I still prefer Tien's version of the multi-form technique, rather than Mister Piccolo's. Maybe it's just because the motions, just look cool.'_

…

Mark couldn't believe how those two were fighting. They had both been enrolled under the Satan dojo, he knew. He had long since recognised the blond, as Sharpener and the other one as Freed. It was amazing… they were fighting like true martial artists.

He'd thought that those two along with hundreds of others had no hope, that they'd never become real martial artists. But now here they were, displaying a high degree of skill.

The iron balls however confused Mark, why would you limit someone's speed? Perhaps it was to make sure that the fight was close range. Was it so that they wouldn't be able to flee or gain a breather, without risking an attack from their opponent, perhaps?

Mark nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt two fingers tap him on the shoulder.

"You're Mark, Videl's brother, right?"

He quickly turned around. Stuttering, he ran a hand through his hair, trying to regain his voice. How had he snuck up on him like that?

"Y-yeah, that's me. I take it you're one of the Sensei's here?"

Gohan gave a light nod. "Sensei Gohan, at your service," He gave a small two fingered salute.

"Wait? You're Gohan?"

"As a matter of fact I am," Gohan chuckled offering Mark a light smile. "So what are you doing at a place like this? Have you decided to join us too?"

"Uhh… I was j-just uhh looking for Sharpener. Videl wanted to uhh hang out with him."

"If Videl wanted to hang out with him, why wouldn't she just ask him? She left about five minutes ago… Said something about the fight being too boring and her dad calling, I believe. Besides that, I heard a rumour that your father, Mr. Satan, wouldn't let any boys her age near her?"

"Well actually Sharpener's the only exception to that. But I guess there's no point lying with you…"

"So why are you here?"

"Truthfully dad told me to come here and _inspect_ this dojo."

"You can tell Mr. _Satan_ whatever you'd like. We have no secrets here." Gohan declared firmly.

"That I can see, but what about those _cheap tricks_?"

"I can see that you aren't too sure of your father's words, right now. But I assure you that they are, very real."

"I'll believe it when I see it… So what's with the iron balls on their feet?" Mark asked uncaringly, he really didn't care. "Is it to try and push them to their limits, or something?'

"Well it's to make the fighters think out of the box, a real fight's never a fair one. Someone always has the advantage, no matter how miniscule it may be. By thinking out of the box, one can find a way to counteract that advantage. Or in other words turn the opponent's advantage against them. Also the iron balls put the both of them at a disadvantage, and turning a disadvantage into an advantage can make all the difference in a fight." Gohan revealed.

"Yeah, I'd agree with that. It's not a bad idea, when I think about it, actually." Mark said, offering the Son a thankful smile for the explanation.

…

Sharpener was once again standing. Having fended off Freed for some time and gaining some breathing space, he began to formulate a plan.

'_These iron balls are too hard to drag around, with my leg injured right now. I guess I'll just have to relieve some of the weight… Maybe I can pick it up, since the chain's so long?'_

Smirking Sharpener picked up the heavy ball with both hands faltering and tucked it under his arm. Careful not to trip over the chain, he charged at Freed and rammed his shoulder at the ex-student of Hercule.

…

"How's that for timing?" Mark said his eyes wide open in slight amusement. "Are you psychic or something? The Sharpener I know would've never been able to think of something like that!"

'_You don't even know half of it.'_ With a bemused expression on his face Gohan replied. "I told you that it'd work. Actually I didn't… Anyways, how would you like to join us for one of our training camps? This one's out in the woods and I'm taking my best and my least experienced together, so I figured you could fit in well."

'_Though to which category I'm not exactly sure,'_Gohan thought.

'_Did he just try to insult me? Nah, he seems way too nice and dumb to do that.'_

"I'll think about it," Mark answered through a fake smile.

…

Hercule was quick to the front door that night, as soon as he heard Mark open it; he had rushed out into the hallway.

"What did you find out? Did you get any dirty little secrets? Anything?" Hercule asked, bombarding Mark with his fast questions.

"Well I didn't find much of value, but I can confirm that both Freed and Sharpener are enrolled at the new dojo. Both with white belts… And the funny thing is that the match against Freed had to be one of the best Sharpener's ever fought."

"Yeah, yeah, did you find out anything about the owners? Does this Gohan fellow have some secret criminal background?"

"Nope nothing of that, nature," Mark replied.

"Anything about how they pull off their tricks."

"No… In fact if it wasn't for _your_ _word_ that they were _tricks_, I'd almost be convinced they were real." He walked off to his comfortable bedroom, wanting to rest.

He'd gotten a little lost on the way back from the dojo. When he travelled to the dojo, the chauffeur had dropped him off and Mark had opted to walk back. It took him about 40 minutes more to return home, and that wasn't including the dinner he'd eaten in the city.

Mark had lied between his teeth to his words. Despite what he had said previously, he didn't believe his father's words for a second anymore. Those _magic tricks_ had to be real.

It was just a matter of time until he figured out how to do them.

**Authors Notes: Brought to you by Son Goshen and Kakarot Son. With some brilliant beta reading by Saiyajin-love.**

**Please Review, Tranquil Violence is lacking in nothing but reviews.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Razamataz22 here, bringing you the latest chapter of Tranquil Violence.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own DBZ**

...

Hercule walked through his home, his children nowhere in sight. His daughter had gone to a training camp for a number of days. While he didn't particularly like that Videl was training at a dojo that wasn't owned by him, he couldn't help but be impressed by the commitment she was putting into the effort. As for his son, Mark had told him that he was going to a friends before they went camping out in the woods. Where in the woods he hadn't been told, in fact most of the details had been a bit vague but he shrugged nonchalantly as he hoped that his kids had a fun time in their individual activities.

...

Videl stood at the outskirts of the city, where the concrete buildings came to an end and the endless stretch of forest began. In front of her stood Gohan, the teenage sensei wearing a simple blue gi with a red belt tied across his waist. The belt itself didn't represent Gohan's level of skill; his students had quickly learnt that the strip of fabric had very little meaning. The fact that many of the students still bore their white belts despite having improved drastically was proof of that.

Standing behind Gohan, were the other three senseis, each standing proudly. Next to them however was Erasa, the blonde looking completely out of place as she held a number of forms in her hands. Videl's eyes then shifted to the other students, as expected Freed was there, the man ever trying to push himself to the limits. Yet Videl had been noticing that his improvements as of lately had been slowing down. While there was no doubt that he could push further, she believed that it wasn't something physically that was wrong with him, but rather mentally. Having had the brown belt only for it to be torn up in front of him would have been devastating to his self confidence.

Sharpner was there as expected, the blonde having been improving in large quantities as of lately. Having recalled her friend training over the years, she had never seen him make such leaps and bounds in his technique. The training sessions that the senseis had been putting them through helped make the students think outside of the box, whether it be having the ankles weighed down with chains or arranging a number of metal poles in the dirt floor to restrict movement. No matter how bizarre the scenario seemed, there was always a benefit to it that would help them later on.

Turning her attention to the other side, her eyes fell upon perhaps the two strangest two people to join the group. The closest was the only other female to have signed up to the dojo, Katie. Videl hadn't seen her often, Katie having only been able to come on days where it suited her job in hospitality. From what she had seen however, what she lacked in strength she made up for in agility and innovative thinking.

Then there was the final member of the group, Videl's very own brother Mark. Videl opened her mouth to voice her protest at her brother being here but she was cut off however as Gohan began to speak. "Alright, listen up everyone," he said in a commanding voice as Erasa stepped forward and began handing out the pieces of paper. "We need you to sign these waivers to say that if anything unfortunate happens to you during the trip we won't be sued."

"'Unfortunate,' like what?" asked Freed.

"You know, injuries, sickness, death, the usual," said Gohan shrugging it off. Videl, who had been reading the waiver at the time, shot her eyes up at their sensei with her mouth open wide.

"You mean this training trip can kill us?" she stated rather than asked.

"This camp will push you to your absolute limits," explained Gohan. "When you can no longer run you will be left behind, when you can no longer swim you will drown, when you can no longer climb you will fall. This is a four day course where the only interaction you will have will be with your sensei. This trail breaks into four individual roads at a crossing and everybody will be going their different ways. Since we have five people to four senseis, there will be a single pair to go with a sensei."

"Okay then," said Sharpner, signing the waiver; having had to fight while disadvantaged could not be tougher than the exercises that were planned. The rest of the class were not so quick with their signatures but eventually complied, albeit not happily.

"Alright, now that that is done, Erasa would you be as so kind as to take these forms back to the dojo?" asked Gohan as he gathered the pieces of paper.

"Wait, how do you expect me to get there, you told me not to bring a car," said Erasa, Krillen having given her a lift earlier.

"I'll show you," said Gohan before clasping his hands over his mouth and shouting into the sky. "NIMBUS!"

For the longest of moments nothing happened, and the students wondered whether or not their sensei had finally cracked. It was not to be however, as a single cloud began to fly in from the distance, a stream of yellow light close behind it as it descended next to Gohan. "What the hell is that?" asked Katie looking at the cloud as if it was on display in the window of a store.

"This is the Flying Nimbus," explained Gohan. He then beckoned to Erasa, "Now if you would be as so kind as to take a seat, Nimbus will gladly take you to the dojo and then back to your house."

"Really," said Erasa as her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. As she got closer to Nimbus however, she began to slowly become nervous, poking the cloud indecisively a couple of times.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't clouds made of water?" asked Videl.

"Not this one," said Gohan as Erasa lifted her foot up and placed it on Nimbus, amazed when her foot failed to go through the cloud. Shaking slightly, she managed to get on before sitting down and as soon as her fears of falling had vanished she squealed like a little girl. "Alright Nimbus, take it easy," said Gohan, the yellow cloud complying as it rose into the air slightly before flying towards town, Erasa joyously laughing the entire way.

"Could someone explain what just happened?" asked Mark, trying hard to believe that his sister's best friend just jumped onto a cloud and flew off.

"Many of the things that occur on this trip will force you to think outside the box, feats of strength you never knew possible and so called 'light tricks' which until you see them and perform them for yourself would be impossible," said Krillen. As if to exemplify his point, Yamcha walked to the nearest tree before punching it. Rather than his bones shattering against the wood, his fist sunk straight into the texture before he began to lift, the entire tree raising out of the ground as if it was nothing more than a daisy. Mouths dropped in shock as they watched Yamcha hold an entire tree over his shoulder as if it was nothing more than a baseball bat.

While the regular students knew that their senseis were incredibly talented, this still came as a surprise. For Mark however, this was beyond mental comprehension. He had seen his father smash tiles, pull trucks and even rip phone books in half, but to lift an entire tree into the air with a single arm was beyond belief, not to mention the fact that he made it look so effortless. His eyes scanned above the bark, to see if there any hidden strings of any kind, but above the tree there was nothing but blue sky. As a kid he had gone to see Yamcha play baseball a long time ago, the man having a perfect 100% home-run rate, something which was thought impossible. Now seeing him hold this tree over his shoulders, he couldn't help but wonder if the entire time in his career he had been holding back.

"That's awesome," said Sharpner in awe, wondering how many push-ups he'd have to do in a lifetime to be able to lift something as heavy as a fully grown tree.

"Freed," said Gohan, addressing the eldest student, "You will be spending your time with in the forest with Krillen."

"Understood," said Freed with a slight bow.

"C'mon buddy, let's get moving while there's still light," said Krillen as he turned around and began jogging through the trees, Freed quickly trying to catch up. The sounds of their footsteps slowly faded into nothingness before they vanished from sight.

"Katie, you will be travelling with Tien," instructed Gohan. Tien didn't say anything in response, rather he began to walk through the woods at a steady pace, the brunette catching up quickly.

Videl looked nervously at the two people remaining besides her, not really wanting to be paired with either of them if she was the one of the two to be grouped together. Spending four days with Sharpner by her side would almost drive her to madness, but four days with her brother could be even worse.

"Videl," said Gohan, the raven haired teenager looking up at him in an instant. "You'll be journeying with me." Fireworks were going off inside Videl's mind as she realised that she wasn't going to be forced to spending time with either of the two boys by her side, almost making her leap for joy. "C'mon, let's get going," he concluded with a smile as he began to jog down the path, Videl quickly following him with a broad smile stretching from ear to ear.

"That means you two are with me," said Yamcha as he tossed the tree to the side as if it was nothing, Sharpner watching it with excitement while Mark watched with a slight sense of fear. "However, since I don't actually know your limitations Mark, I want you to spar with Sharpner so I can get an understanding of your level of skill. Sharpner, you can only use what I've been teaching you over the past few days."

Mark smiled as he turned towards the blonde, and got into the patented Satan stance. His curiosity peaked however as Sharpner got into a highly peculiar stance, his right foot angled awkwardly while his shoulders were stiff, his arms raised at chest height. "Hajime," said Yamcha starting the fight. Mark shook his head slightly before charging forward with his fist pulled back before launching his punch at Sharpner's head. It was a traditional starting move of the Satan dojo which forced the opponent to back away or block, hence creating an opening. The only person who reacted differently was Videl, but Mark always knew that and always went about fighting his sister in a different way.

As the fist was several inches away from Sharpner's face, the blonde haired boy struck. Using the back of his upright hand, he tapped Mark's fist to the side, his eyes focused and unblinking as the attack missed his cheek by the barest of margins. In a swift movement, his hand grabbed Mark's wrist while his other hand came up underneath Mark's elbow before he twisted, bending Mark's arm painfully behind his back in a Key lock.

For a second, Mark could do nothing as he realised the position he was in. Reaching behind his back, he grabbed his wrist and began to push outwards as to reduce the pain. As if expecting this to happen, Sharpner's right hand glided down Mark's arm to grab at the wrist as his left arm positioned itself in an uppercut, holding Mark's arm at the bicep, executing a brutal standing armbar. Once again Mark found himself flustered at the situation, exceptionally happy that his sister had already left so that he wouldn't have to face the humility. Yet the fight was not over as he painfully pulled his arm out of the hold, only for Sharpner to release his wrist while twisting downwards, gripping the back of Mark's knees.

Mark hit the ground with a thick thud and he blinked a couple of times as his eyes regained focus, to see Sharpner kneeling over him with his fist poised to strike. The sound of clapping was heard nearby as Yamcha walked towards the pair. "Very good Sharpner, you used the Sachin kata of the Gyojuru style very nicely to counter a straight punch," explained the baseball player. "Some credit also has to go to you Mark, you managed to get out of an armbar that would force most people to tap out, sadly though it left you vulnerable. Not to worry though, that's what this camp is for after all."

"That felt incredible," said Sharpner as he got to his feet looking at his hands. "So the technique you walked me through for the last couple of days, that's how it's used in actual combat?" he asked to which Yamcha nodded. Mark was still having a little trouble believing everything that had just happened as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"I lost," he said as if in a trance. "I never lose."

"Welcome to life outside the Satan dojo," said Yamcha as he grabbed Mark's shoulder and hoisted him onto his feet with little effort. "C'mon you two, we've got a long way to travel if we want to make it to the camping spot by nightfall." Yamcha turned and began to jog into the bushes, Sharpner close behind him. Mark however took an extra minute to snap out of his stupor and it took him several more to catch up to the two people he would be spending the next three nights.

...

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**Raz out.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer**: Team Dragon Star does not pretend to own DBZ

_**This chapter is brought to you by **__**Ri6961 and Gue22**_

_**Chapter 9**_

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><p>Videl was beyond exhausted.<p>

The cold wind whistled in her ears, a chilling wall of air slapping her across the face. She took another laboured breath, her thighs burning as she lifted her leg to take yet another steep footstep. The rocky terrain of the mountain was very treacherous. It was also slightly slippery from the remnants of the rain of the day before.

She took another deep breath and squinted her eyes. Night was beginning to fall, and the thought of losing sight of her sensei terrified her. In the last hour or so, her stamina had started to dwindle at exponential rates, with the gap between them increasing every passing second. It was so humiliating for her, needing to take several stops on this climb, often feeling like she was about ready to pass out. Yet he...he hadn't even taken so much as a single laboured breath.

Her ears popped again, but she ignored them. She was too busy, debating the merits of accepting his offer to set up camp for the night. She had straight-up refused him an hour ago, determined to solider on until the destination. But at this point in time and altitude, her pride was effectively eroded . She was so cold, so tired, so breathless and in so much pain that she just wanted to stop, even if it meant groveling on her knees.

_Mark would never give up, he would keep going until he reached the top._

Shakily she lifted her foot and took another step. It burned the muscles in her thighs down her leg and right through to her frozen toes. Every inch of her body was operating beyond its limits and she was well aware that she was now functioning on sheer will alone.

Another pop of the ears, and she forced herself to swallow some more saliva. It helped expel some air from her ears to even out the difference between her internal air pressure and the external pressure around the mountain. At this altitude, the air particles were less dense, which meant that it was that much harder to fill her lungs with oxygen. Not to mention that the temperature was much colder than she'd been prepared for.

This was insane! It had been hours since they'd broken off from the others, and they were still not there yet. They had walked through the dense forest trail for an hour after splitting from the others; she had been thinking that they were finally at their destination when they'd cleared the forest and seemingly reached a dead end - the base of a rather wide and high mountain. Hah! If only; instead of announcing that they'd reached their destination, the Sensei had grinned and announced that it was time to get started! That had been seven hours ago.

A swarm of dizziness hit her as she took another steep step. She staggered momentarily and missed the spot. Panic gripped her immediately as her boot tripped on a crumbling piece of rock. Slipping, her lips parted in a frozen gasp as she lost her balance. The bite of the cold air stung her cheeks as she screamed, falling backwards.

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><p>Mark doubted that he had ever walked so far in his life as he had now. His feet were hurting, he was bored, and he did not have the slightest idea where they were going. At first he had tried to remember the way back just in case, but it hadn't been long before he discovered that remembering every little turn they took in the thick forest was practically impossible. So he had given up and was now bored out of his mind while he wondered how big this damned forest was.<p>

For the first few miles, he had listened to the conversation Sharpner was having with Yamcha, but after some time, he had zoned out, and after they had briefly stopped for lunch, he had discovered that his sensei and his fellow student had stopped talking. Now, they were all walking in silence. He wondered if Sharpner's feet were hurting too. They probably were, but the blonde boy did not show it. Now, whether or not Yamcha's feet were hurting was a bigger mystery. The scarred man seemed to be perfectly fine and did not appear bored at all. No, he looked like he was really truly enjoying walking in the dense forest. _What a country pumpkin._

It wasn't until the sun finally began to set that they stopped. The forest had thinned remarkably during the last mile and at last they came to a halt before a large lake.

"This is where we are going to stay?" Mark asked, half-hoping it was and half-hoping it wasn't.

"Yup. We are going to use the lake as a base for our training," Yamcha answered, grinning. He didn't look tired at all. "I hope you brought your capsules with the most necessary equipment for tonight."

Sharpner and Mark nodded.

"Good, then set up your tents while I go to hunt for some dinner."

Mark's eyes widened. "You are going to hunt?" he said in disbelief, "Why didn't you just bring some food?"

"Typical speech for a city kid." Their sensei shook his head, but his grin was still firmly in place.

For some reason, that remark annoyed Mark to no end. However, he was smart enough to keep his thoughts to himself. Instead he observed as Yamcha made his way into the forest, again while humming a happy tune.

"He annoys me," stated Mark as soon as he thought their sensei was out of hearing range.

Sharpner, who had been busy getting his tent set up, looked him in surprise from his crouching position on the ground. "He annoys you? Why? Too used to winning?" the blonde boy added with a smirk.

Mark glared at him. "For your information, that has nothing to do with me losing to you,"

He turned around , not wanting to speak to the other boy anymore. Instead he focused on getting out his capsules to get set his tent up.

Sharpner grinned to himself. He knew very well why Mark did not like Yamcha. Because it wasn't really Yamcha that Mark disliked, oh no, it was the fact that the way they trained in this new dojo was so different than how things were done in the Satan dojo. Sharpner knew this because he had felt like that the exactly the same way the first few days. But, he had come to appreciate this new dojo far. Much more than he had ever liked training under Mr. Satan.

Here in his new dojo, he had progressed like never before. Here he had gained so much strength, agility, and stamina it made his previous level seem ridiculous Here… he felt like one of the best.

* * *

><p>She groaned and opened her eyes.<p>

"Morning Videl," The quiet voice of her Sensei hurt much like a dentist's drill hitting a nerve. She winced and covered her ears with her hands, wondering why it took double the effort just to take a breath of air.

"Morning?" she asked uncertaintly, the painful throbbing of her head making it impossible for her ability to gather her wits. Videl then sat up, the movement causing the thick snugly blanket she'd been draped in to fall down to her thighs. She was lying on something warm and comfortable she noted, even though her eyes were greeted by nothing but the early morning sunlight cast over a vast expanse of...rocks, hills, mountains as far as the eye could see. The air was crisp and fresh - not cold though. But still, she didn't feel so good. The last thing she remembered was missing her step and-

"Yep!" Sensei Gohan replied cheerfully, extending his hand towards her. "It's definitely morning. And it's a nice day too. Come, let me help you up, a small walk will help with the disorientation."

Videl frowned. Who said she was disoriented?

"I'm fine," she said in a clipped tone. She pushed off the blanket and attempted to stand up.

"Unlikely," Gohan merely smiled, grabbing her hand despite her protest and hauling her up to her feet, "We climbed 8000 feet in one day. Your body is far from acclimatized to the new altitude. You're not fine."

He kept a steadying hold on her until her legs stopped staggering. "You won't be fine for a long time." He added earnestly. As if to validate his words, on top of the headache and the breathlessness, a swarm of nausea assailed her, exacerbating her already dismal situation.

"I'm fine," she said stubbornly. There really was no need for him to point out how shitty she felt, especially with him looking so...unaffected, "When did we get this high? Did you c-carry m-me? All the way up here?" Her eyes suddenly widened in combination of shock, awe and horror at the very thought.

He merely smiled, "Something like that," he said. "Let's walk." Without looking back, he followed his own instructions, expecting his student to comply.

Videl followed after him, struggling to maintain her breathing and her footing. The terrain was rocky and uneven, yet the encumbrances of its nature didn't seem to bother him. Sighing, she continued to clumsily follow after him. She didn't know how this walking business was supposed to help with her disorientation because frankly, the more she walked the worse she felt.

"Alright, let's circle back to camp. You should drink something," he suddenly announced, "You must re-hydrate as much as possible."

She hadn't thought about it because she was experiencing too many discomforts all at the same time but...she was extremely thirsty. Desperate to wash some water down her parched throat, Videl was able to pick up her pace for the first time that morning.

* * *

><p>"Train? Right now?" her eyes widened. She was nowhere near ready to start training! Her body was all out of whack. She was still disoriented, nauseous, shaky and not to mention the constant pounding of her head. "I need a bit more time to get used to this altitude," she protested. The walk and the water had helped - a bit. But...<p>

"Let's get started." Gohan pulled her up with an odd expression on his face.

"Just...not just yet. Sorry Sensei, but you were right. I must really have this Acute Mountain Sickness thing you mentioned. I really don't feel too well." She pressed three of her fingers to her temples on each side as if to quieten down her head.

"You're a crime-fighter right?" Gohan regarded her with a stern expression.

"Um..yes?"

"So." His voice suddenly seemed to echo and bounce all around her as she found herself pinned to the ground by a force she couldn't see. "Is that what you're going to tell a low-life like me when I have you pinned. That you need more time?" His tone was not of the Sensei she knew, but of someone or something sinister.

Videl's eyes widened in a panic as she felt an immeasurable weight suddenly pressing on her chest. She tried to use her arms to push it off, but she couldn't move them.

"Up here," he continued to say, "from today till our last day, we will not play by the rules that govern us at the Dojo." His voice echoed and bounced again.

She darted her eyes around trying to pin-point where he was talking from, but she could hardly see anything as it was. Tiny pebbles, little minuscule granules of broken rock and sand were lifting off the ground, a swirling swarm of silt, shale and debris, culminating into a vicious spinning storm. It grew thick and heavy, making it impossible for her to see through it's brown curtain.

"Up here, I am not Son Gohan. I am not your sensei."

Videl tried to force down the panic elicited by his cold and sinister tone. Once again, she tried to push off this heavy weight crushing her chest. Beads of sweat began to form across her forehead from all the effort she was exerting. Harder and harder she tried to push, but...nothing. The weight did not budge.

A trail of cold sweat ran down her back from the chill of his voice."Up here, I am nothing but a criminal and a low-life. I am a bank-robber, an arsonist and a kidnapper. I have no conscience and no regard for human life."

Videl shivered. That voice, it was coming from everywhere! She couldn't take this, she couldn't take this! She couldn't move. She could hardly breath and she- the echo of his voice continued to ricochet off the hills, and every-time she opened her mouth, a gush of the grainy storm infiltrated her mouth, making her cough and gag. She delved into her reserves, pushing with everything she had until finally, her arms began to respond to her commands. Except when she pushed out, reaching out to grab the crushing presence on her chest, her hands passed through nothing as if going through a ghost.

"Up here, I am a cold-blooded murderer and worse, I am a serial rapist." The cold voice of her Sensei continued to taunt her.

Every muscle in her body locked. That last sentence had definitely been whispered against her ear. She knew this because his hot breath lingered in a light caress: a stark contrast to the harsh elements assaulting the rest of her body. It had been too close, too close for comfort.

"Up here, I grow tired of your interference Miss Satan, and now that I have you pinned, I'm going to finish you off. You are a crime fighter, so fight."

Videl heaved and coughed. Suddenly the weight that had been pressing on her was gone. She turned over and gripped the ground with her hands to steady herself as pieces of rock slipped and slid between the spaces of her fingers. Greedily she took in lungfuls of air and pushed herself up to a kneeling position.

"The breathlessness you feel, the heaviness in your chest- it is not from the drastic change in altitude, not at all. It's from the gas-bomb I threw at you, to suffocate you, weaken you, then kill you." The words hung in the air as Videl swiveled around, once again trying to pin-point his location. Frustration and anger fused and grew when all she could see, all she could hear was the chilling whistle of thick and heavy wind. How was he doing this? How was he doing this?

"This dark storm is not the reason you can't see me or find me. Try to focus. It's because the smoke and the fog from the smoke-bomb is so thick that the human eye can't see beyond it."

The grip she had on the ground tightened as her head spun. "Stop it! Stop it right now! This is not funny!" she screamed.

"Your body aches doesn't it? Every muscle burns and you seem to think its from the hike - Wrong." Videl blinked rapidly and twisted herself around like a cornered mouse. She could hear crackling behind her, like light footsteps atop gravel. "Forget the climb Videl. All those aches and pains you're experiencing are from me pounding you into the ground with my fists."

Bile rushed up from her gut and soured the taste in her mouth. Head pounding, heart racing, Videl forced herself to stay steady on her feet. She panted and wiped the perspiration from her forehead. She pat onto the ground, unable to take the taste. She hadn't even had a chance to freshen up or brush her teeth this morning, and now her mouth tasted sour and felt granular from the storm.

"That headache, the nauseous and the weakness, think about it. Those are symptoms of your life force, slowly ebbing out of you. I've shot you Videl, and now you'll slowly bleed out. The loss of blood taking your concentration, your strength and your will to stay alive."

"I said stop it!" She whirled around, the screaming only earning her more dust in her mouth.

"No." Came the cold reply. "The enemy never stops. You must learn to fight even when the chips are down, even when all is lost."

"How can I fight you when I can't even see you?" She gritted her teeth, keeping tears of frustration at bay.

"Is that what you're going to say to a kidnapper holding several hostages?" She knew exactly where he was now, she could feel him looming over her. "Is it Videl? Well, I'm right in-front of you. Fight."

Even though she could barely keep standing, Videl threw herself at him. She was so angry that she'd literally tear his eyes out if given the chance. But instead of landing a punch or a kick, a strong wind knocked her back, and she went crashing into the rocks.

"That's better Videl." His voice had changed tone completely. It was suddenly warm and sincere. "Before we get off this mountain, before you acclimatize, you will learn what it is to fight with your will when your body has all but failed you. You will learn to fight blind, because you will learn how to unlock your sixth-sense. Before we get off this mountain, you will learn that the path you have chosen. The path of a protector is not an easy one."

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><p><strong>Please leave a review<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: We do not own DBZ.**

Mark rubbed his eyes repeatedly. How... just... how? He was mystified.

Yamcha had walked into their little camp with two deer slung carelessly over his shoulders. There was no sign of any fatigue or injury, and the deer didn't look smashed, either. What's more, there was absolutely no sign of a gun. How do you hunt without a gun?

He heard Sharpener whistle lowly in surprise. "You the man, Sensei!" he called out, clearly impressed. "You definitely gotta teach me how to do that."

Yamcha chuckled. "I believe that's the point of having you as my student, isn't it?"

"But that's just not possible…" Mark muttered. "What kind of trickery is this?"

"A 'trick' that I learned a _long_ time ago," the former bandit replied, still ever so cheerful. "Now if you two don't mind, I believe we should start a fire and begin preparing these deer, unless you don't want to eat?"

"Ah, of course," Sharpener quickly replied and scurried over to the pile of wood they had collected earlier. "Where's the match, where's the match..."

_Pompf!_

Light flared up in Yamcha's palm, which he tossed swiftly towards the wood. They miraculously lit up and promptly began burning. This startled the poor blonde boy, as he was just about to bend down to light them with a match.

"Eek!" he squeaked, jumping backwards in shock.

Mark's trained eyes scanned the pile rapidly, not missing any detail. But there was no signs of any trap laid… No signs of a match, or anything that would burn by the disruption of the tiniest amount of friction added to. The man's hands were also bare, and his sleeves were short, so there wasn't any possibility of hiding anything, too.

Then, Yamcha tossed the deer high up in the air. The students' gaze followed upwards and watched as their mentor launched himself up as well, becoming mere dots.

"Uhhh…"

They heard sickening squelching sounds that could only be produced from chopping up flesh. Soon, large, perfectly cut meat was falling from the sky, along with deer pelt and bones. Blood also rained down.

"You two better scurry and catch the meat, or there will be nothin' for dinner!" The former bandit yelled from the sky. He was plummeting downwards, and then did a somersault before he hit the ground and effortlessly landed on his feet.

The two rushed back and forth, attempting to catch the food, but still missed several here and there. Yamcha shook his head while grinning, then zipped forward, getting every single piece before they narrowly hit the ground. His movements were so fast that they couldn't even see him until he stopped with his arms piled high.

"Whoa…" Mark breathed. Even his father probably wasn't able to do that. A final drop of blood landed on his cheek. "Eww."

"Enjoying the show, boys?" their sensei laughed. They nodded, still dumbstruck. "Well, don't worry, kids, I'll patch you up soon enough."

The three men dug heartily into the juicy and rich venison meat after a day of exertion. The sky had steadily darkened, and all that was in the sky were the glistening stars and half-crescent moon. There was not much noise other than the munching and the crackling of the warm fire. They ate in a companionable silence... or are they? Mark broke it.

"Sooooo... Sensei... would you bother telling us how your tricks are done? Don't worry, we won't say a thing," he said.

Yamcha snorted. "A good magician never reveals his tricks," he replied snidely.

Mark's eye twitched. "So you admit that they're all not real?" he demanded.

Sharpener, meanwhile, sat in his little corner with his eyes wide like doe in headlights.

The former bandit face palmed. "No… Mark, you blithering idiot, obviously they're real. I was just pulling your leg. Sheesh."

"..."

"Anyways, you two, would you be interested in listening to some of my old adventures when I was a kid?" he asked, eyes lighting up. That was something he could just go on and on and on.

Mark and Sharpener nodded eagerly. "Do tell!"

"Well, the story began a long time ago, when I just reached eighteen…"

_Flashback_

_Yamcha grimaced as he felt more sand blowing into his eyes as a fierce wind passed. Night had fallen, and the cold air chilled him to the bone. Yet, he still stood straight and tall, guarding over his 'territory', watching like a hawk in case any prey comes across. His ever faithful companion floated by his shoulders, following his every move._

_Life of a bandit was hard, but filled with fun. At least, that was what he had always believed. But this time in particular wasn't. The bandit was about to call in and trudge back to his tent through the sand when he spotted a small child on the border._

_That kid had dark, spiky hair sticking out in all directions. He wore a simple blue Gi with a red, suspicious-looking pole strapped to his back by a piece of string. All in all, he didn't look that dangerous, but didn't seem to have much to loot from, other than that stick. Hmmm…_

_A little away from the boy was a young girl in her early teens, he guessed. She seemed to be yelling and him for something. Her bright blue hair was tied up in a ponytail, and it swayed by another breeze. Yamcha could tell clearly from her clothes and capsules that she was no doubt a rich girl. The perfect kind he was looking for. Imagine all the treasures she'd have! He'd be filthy rich. Just as long as he didn't talk to her, he'd be fine._

_He tensed, and then leaped out, revealing himself. There was his usual display of arrogance and intimidation. Except..._

_It didn't work._

_He found himself fighting against the boy (whose name, he learned later, was Son Goku.). The fierce battle ended quickly when Goku admitted defeat, saying he was too hungry._

_And that encounter became the turning point of his life as in a few years, he found himself transformed into a new, better person than before._

_Flashback End_

"And there you go, boys. That's how I met Goku," Yamcha ended rather lamely. "I don't think I'm going to tell you other stuff that happened after, because I wasn't exactly a 'good guy' in the story."

Sharpener opened and closed his mouth wordlessly like a fish. "You... you... MET SON GOKU BEFORE!" he exclaimed. All martial arts junkie knew who that was. The legendary man who was said to defeat the dangerous Demon King Piccolo (obviously before his time), the one who single-handedly took down the Red Ribbon Army, the one who reached the semi-finals at a young age in the 21st Budokai, and all those other great accomplishments. He was trained in the hidden (or so the world thinks) arts of the Turtle School, led by Master Roshi, another heroic figure in history.

They also say that he married the feisty princess, daughter of Ox King, a terrifying tyrant who plundered the neighbouring kingdoms and ruled with an iron fist. He was also companions with other equally prominent figures in Martial Arts history, such as Tien Shinhan (who Sharpener had noted was also a sensei in the dojo).

All in all, Son Goku was a person you'd expect to be in a heroic story, not someone real. That was why he was so fascinating, because it was all real!

There were also conspiracies on the fact that he was in the Earth's Special Forces lead by the fat swordsman Yajirobe during the attack of the two aliens, from the warrior race of Saiyans far away in the galaxy. They say that the forces expertly fought off those two. They also say he was intimately involved with the killer androids and Cell from seven years back. It was heard that he was part of the mysterious group of people that appeared that day at the arena.

And obviously, Mr Satan, the great hero of Earth, waved everything off while laughing, saying their skills were merely tricks, and Son Goku was just a great coward. And since he was such a fantastic guy, everyone believed him, including Sharpener. But now, many of the opinions that were formatted by Hercules were slowly been shattered as he spent more time in the dojo.

Yamcha grinned. "Well, of course! He was a great guy, you know, always cheery."

Mark scoffed in the corner. "I can't believe you believe this load of tosh," he said snidely.

The blonde visibly wilted at the elder's words. "You might be right," he conceded.

Their sensei, however, slapped his forehead with his palm. "Wow, Mark. I know you're my student, but seriously. Can you PLEASE not be so narrow-minded?"

Mark smirked. "I'm not narrow-minded, I'm simply stating the truth," he retorted. "First off, if you really know Son Goku, then why can't we meet him? Why isn't he also at the dojo? And second, if those tricks are real, you gotta prove it to me."

Yamcha sighed. "To answer your first question, I don't know necromancy. Goku's dead. Also never said I couldn't prove it to you, did I?"

"Then do it!" he demanded.

Yamcha extended his palm. He concentrated, and then slowly, there was a tiny orb of light floating atop his hand, light yellow in colour like a lantern. "That is Ki, or light tricks, as your father so fondly calls them."

Mark sidled to his side and stared at the Ki ball, with Sharpener following suit. He could feel the heat emanating strongly from the energy. He reached toward the ball slowly, hesitating. Just before he touched it, Yamcha lifted it out of reach. "It would be wise to not try burn your hand," he said dryly. "It wouldn't be fun. Trust me."

"Whoa..." the blond haired boy gasped, "this stuff is legit! Cool!"

Mark frowned. "This makes me question my dad. Why would he ever hide this from us? But you have to promise me you'll teach me. Then I getta surpass him once and for all!"

Yamcha laughed, shaking his head. "Isn't that the point of having me here as your mentor?"

"Well then, teach it to me now! I bet I'll master it in a week," he said arrogantly, smirk on his face again.

"Oh no you won't," the former bandit swiftly shot back. "You'd be shocked to learn how long it'll take you to even properly produce a blast that would do minimal damage to a person without draining yourself."

"Yeah? Try me." Mark's eyes were filled with fire, not going to give up or back down.

"Go ahead. Do just one push up with only your index finger. Whichever hand, I don't care."

"That's impossible!"

"Says you. Now watch the master." Yamcha promptly got on to the ground and began to perform push ups, keeping his left hand behind his back. "One, two, three..." he counted.

Again, Mark and Sharpener could only watch with awe.

"Oh god."

…

Wiping some sweat from her eyebrow, Videl let out a sigh. She and Gohan had been training for a couple of hours, and she was certainly feeling the effects; especially at this high of an altitude.

Her whole body felt sore, and she was more out of breath than usual. She slowly looked up at Gohan.

"Do you think we could stop for today?" Her answer was a fist to her face.

She crashed back into the ground. "I'll take that as a no, then."

"The enemy never stops," Gohan repeated.

Videl sighed and charged towards the demi-Saiyan, her right fist drawn in preparation for a punch.

As she swung her fist forward, it connected with empty air as Gohan dodged. He managed to evade the three strikes that followed as well, before he swiftly retaliated with a punch of his own.

With two hands, the exhausted girl managed to stop the punch in its tracks. Unbeknownst to her however, the punch was pulled.

She flailed out her hands in an attempt to contact the other teen. Surprisingly she did manage to make contact… however much to her irritation; the blow seemed to hurt her hand more than it tickled Gohan.

Any further thoughts of irritation were forgotten, as Gohan drove the side of his hand into the back of her neck.

She collapsed instantly.

Luckily for her, she was caught in Gohan's waiting arms.

"… Not bad… I guess."

He lifted her over his shoulder and slowly began to take her back to the campsite, admiring the mountain's natural beauty.

He slowly set her down on the rough grass of their designated campsite. Walking into her tent, he grabbed her sleeping bag and tossed it over her collapsed for, like a blanket. He'd survived for months without one, so she really didn't need to be tucked in.

He walked towards the fire place, before hesitating for a brief second and looking back at her frail sleeping form. Just as quickly as he had turned his head, he turned it back and continued towards the fire place.

Getting down on his knees, he placed a single finger in front of him. Pushing himself up into a push-up position he began to do one-fingered push-ups.

"One… two… three… four…"

…

Mark sighed as he threw sticks into the fire. He still didn't understand how it'd happened. How did he lose? He was Mark Satan, he never lost. Not only that but he had lost to Sharpener; the dunce of the Satan dojo.

Well that name had probably been inaccurate for a long while, but nonetheless Sharpener wasn't meant to be anywhere near Mark's level of skill… and yet he lost. It didn't make sense…

"Hey bro," said blonde called. "Don't chuck the leaves on, or the smoke goes everywhere."

Mark gave an aloof nod. He just didn't understand, what was going on? There must have been some mysterious force at work which allowed Sharpener to win… Perhaps he had just been unlucky that day, or perhaps Sharpener had been extra lucky.

"Sure…" He said in an odd tone. "Smoke can be a pain."

Sharpener was almost sure that there was something wrong. He'd known Mark for… ages. Almost as long as he'd known Videl in fact, who he'd known since he was a little kid. Sure they weren't close, and Sharpener wasn't going to pretend they were, but even he could tell something was off.

He didn't quite understand what Mark's problem was, but he figured he may as well try and confront it. He was a head strong kind of person, after all.

"Something wrong?" Sharpener asked, with raised eyebrows.

"No… it's nothing." Mark replied, sullenly.

"You know, you don't have to lie. Something's bothering you; I've known you long enough to know that."

Mark chuckled. "I guess it's just… I don't get it."

"You don't get it?"

"Yeah… man… I don't understand how I lost the other day."  
>Sharpener stifled a laugh. "<em>That's<em> what's bothering you?"

"Yeah… Don't know if you've noticed, but I don't lose all too often," Mark said, somewhat serious and somewhat chuckling.

"Hey it's no big deal; we all lose at some point."

"It's just… I lost to you." Mark stuttered, "No offence."

"None taken, honestly I reckon it was a fluke. I never expected to win."

"Still though, I don't quite get how you got that good… and pretty damn quick as well."

"Honestly it's all because of the dojo and its Sensei's. They're all so freaking amazing, you wouldn't believe it. I reckon Sensei Gohan could even take your dad in a match."

Mark was baffled. He knew his father wasn't all that great; he'd definitely fallen slack in these times of peace. But for Sharpener, who knew Mr Satan… personally to say that this Gohan could take him in a match… It shocked Mark.

"These guys must be crazy strong if you reckon that Gohan could step in the ring with dad."

"Yeah they are. If they weren't, I doubt half the people… including me, perhaps, would be there. I only went there to check it out with a friend because of all the rumours."

"Rumours?" It was Mark's turn to raise his eyebrows.

"Yeah, you must've heard of them… The ones that the Son Dojo was going to declare an all-out war on the Satan one? There'd already been a bunch of rumours talking about how insanely strong their whole dojo was."

"So why'd you stay? What's so good about the place?"

"I'm not really sure, to be honest. But I reckon it's just the aura of the place, you feel like you're getting stronger just being there. Did you know that like half the staff a World Tourney vets? Krillin, Tien and all that lot."

Mark's eyes quickly snapped away from the fire and towards Sharpener.

"What did you say Gohan's last name was?"

"Son, Son Gohan, what's the big deal?" A confused Sharpener asked.

Mark snapped his fingers. "So that's it!"

"What's it?" Sharpener was now very confused.

Glancing back towards Sharpener, Mark replied. "Don't you see the connection? _Son_ Gohan and _Krillin_? You know, like _Son Goku_ and _Krillin_?"

The second the words left Mark's mouth, Sharpener's jaw dropped.

"So that's why… why they're all so strong."

…

Hercule looked down at the documents on his desk. On one side laid a sloppy stack of unpaid bills. On the other side, there was an attendance sheet. The figures of the sheet looked similar to those of the previous week, but now they were at an all-time low.

His face crumpled up in pure confusion. He had to be reading something wrong. This couldn't be accurate. Hercule squinted as he stared at the sheets once more, before finally confirming his thoughts. The attendance of Satan Dojo was increasingly down. It was even worse than the week before. He rubbed the temples of his head in frustration upon realization.

Hercule's knuckles turned white as his grasp tightened around the folder that contained the source of his aggravation and shame.

"What the hell does that other dojo have that I don't?"

He angrily flung the manila folder at a wall.

"I'm the freaking world champion, so what the hell's it got, that I dont?"

He meditated on the words of Mark.

He could not figure out what about that other dojo was better than his. What made the fighters over there so much stronger in a matter of days, than the training they had received in his own dojo for years? He was the best of the best. The world champion. People should want to join his dojo just to have a chance to meet him. But no, they had even managed to get people like Erasa, who were easily swooned by his greatness, to go to their dojo. Hell, Erasa even working at that very dojo now.

Hercule slumped in the chair that, prior to his outburst, sat in front of his desk. He mentally ran through who could possibly being working at the dojo that could train his students even better than he.

"Mr Satan, It seems you are enraged by the new numbers. Perhaps some new competition has come up."

"Pfft, competition... No one can compete with me," Hercule said as an uneasy bead of sweat dropped.

"Ah you're right. I was going to suggest finding out who teaches there and either bribing them with more money or finding better people." The servant stated. "But you're right, there's no point... for no one can compete with you sir."

As the servant's words left his mouth, a light bulb went off in Hercule' head. He snickered, "it's okay. But you know what I think?"

"No, Mr Satan, what is it?" They were eager to know what his greatness was thinking.

"Even though there's no competition, I should still check out the teachers of a certain dojo. I don't want anyone to suffer from lack of proper training. After all, people should have the chance to at least come close to my strength. Though we all know that's impossible, we still should give people hope." Hercule boasted.

"What a brilliant idea Mr Satan. You have such a big heart!" the servant praised greatly.

"I would've never have thought of that!" the other servant added.

Now that Hercule knew what to do, he leaned back into the comforts of his chair pondering on ways of getting the list of Senseis. He considered breaking in and stealing the list, outright demanding the list from Erasa, going to their new website to check the register of Senseis, or using a phony voice to call. After beginning with the easiest task, looking on the web, Hercule realized it wouldn't be as easy as it seemed. His servants told him there was no formal registration for Senseis and the school didn't have a list. He didn't want to risk shaming his own dojo by committing a crime, so he opted to avoid breaking and entering. He came to the ultimate conclusion, ask Erasa. This left him with yet another issues, how was he going to approach her.

"I could use Videl to approach her... or maybe I could pay Erasa for the information. She has to be in need of money… all high-schoolers are." Hercule aimlessly muttered strategies.

"Ah!" Thinking about this was a lot harder than he thought. He exclaimed, "I'm just going to ask Erasa directly." She should easily be swooned by his appearance and want to help him right away.

"I can't let the others see my worry. I have to pull it back together," Hercule thought to himself. Hercule repositioned his desk appropriately and ordered his servants to sort the papers on the floor back the way they originally were on his desk. He reorganized himself before heading out the door.

"I'll be back," he boomed, more to himself than to the other two people there.

Hercule rounded the corner to the dojo. Instead of driving, he had spent the entire walk hyping himself up.

As soon as he saw the sign, his cheeks turned red. His pride would not allow him to directly approach the dojo; instead, he stood patiently outside waiting. He didn't know what for and why he was waiting, or even if he should stand right here. What if Erasa wasn't working today? What if Videl saw him? What if one of his many fans would see him? That'd be tragic.

His worries were casted aside as he noticed Erasa exiting the dojo. What luck!

Erasa spotted Hercule as she came out with her car keys in hand, about to go on her lunch break. Nothing about him awkwardly standing outside seemed suspicious to her, so she was slightly taken back when he approached her as she was leaving.

"Erasa!" The world champ yelled.

Erasa turned around to greet Hercule.

"Oh... Mr Satan, how are you?" She asked in good spirits.

"Erasa, I didn't know you worked here!" Hercule pretended to be surprised at Erasa's presence.

"But I saw you earlier..." muttered.

"Never mind, is there something I can do for you, most of the Senseis are out for lunch. Only a few are meditating out back."

"Actually," Hercule paused for a moment to contemplate his initial decision. "I'm thinking about doing business with this dojo, but I wanted to know if the Sensei's here would be good enough. You know I'm the best of the best and only like to work with the best of the best," Hercule smiled to himself inside.

"I didn't hear anything from my boss about this," she tilted her head as if she were thinking about the event of her day.

"We talked a couple of weeks ago about this merger, but it just occurred to me today that I couldn't work with another dojo without considering what type of staff they had. I want to make sure the two will be compatible."

"But my boss never gave me the okay to give over such information. In fact, he told me it was private, and that I should never give it to anyone else without his permission," her voice drifted away. Erasa shifted her weight on the balls of her feet. Hercule could tell she was feeling guilty about something.

"Well you're new here, right? They can't just freely tell all their employees all their business. That's like me telling the world my secrets to fighting. And those should be taught, not told."

"I guess you're right." An unsure Erasa replied as she took his words into consideration. She hadn't been working there that long. And what if she was in the wrong for questioning Hercule? What if she was possibly messing up the dojos' negotiations and thus ruining their business?

Hercule could see how pensive her expression was and used this to his advantage as he asked.

"Would I lie to you? Come on, the world champion has more morals and pride than that. Or do you think that I don't?" Hercule feigned a pained expression as if he was hurt by her 'implications.'

"No, you wouldn't dare Mr Satan!" Erasa exclaimed. Hercule couldn't be lying! After all, why else would he, himself, come down here instead of getting one of his servants to?

"I'll go get a list." Erasa beamed. She reached into her purse to pull out a set of keys and place her car keys in. Hercule watched her, eagerly rubbing his hands together greedily as she walked back into the building.

"You stay here," she pointed to the spot Hercule was already standing at.

"I promise. I will stay right here." Hercule grinned at Erasa. It didn't take her long to find a copy of a list with all the Senseis that currently worked at the dojo.

"I hope everything goes well with your negotiations," Erasa beamed with such a childlike smile.

Hercule looked at the innocent looking blonde girl in front of him, "Oh it will."

Hercule tucked the list under his arm before heading back to his own dojo.

"Erasa… thanks."

He grinned and waved to her before jogging back to his office. As soon as he was safe, he pulled the paper out and read down the list. He saw Piccolo, Gohan, Krillin, Tien Shinhan, and Yamcha. With each sensei came a list of powers and special moves. Each one had their own individual strength and weaknesses, but they all were of an seemingly equal incredible caliber. Hercule had no idea how he could possible match such a strong group of men.

…

Videl awoke the next day, only to force her body onto its side to evade a punch aimed for her sleeping head.

"In that time, I could've killed you over 1000 times, in 1000 ways… It's unwise to let your guard down."

She sighed, as she forced her sleeping muscles to stand up. Quickly brushing herself off, she raised her arms in a defensive motion.

However she didn't expect a blindfold to be tossed her way, however.

"Wear that." She complied, and tied it around her head.

The next thing she knew, she was on the ground. Swearing, she managed to raise herself to her feet.

Anxiously she quieted down, as she heard a noise… Or more specifically footsteps.

'_Shit.'_

She threw her body to the left, sending herself sprawling towards the ground. But… she'd avoided the punch.

The moment was not long-lived as she soon found herself thrown into the air. Suspended in the air, she could hear footsteps.

Once again she swore. She could hear him, and she knew he was there… but she couldn't do anything about it.

After being swatted to the ground, Videl stood up once again.

"You know you don't really have to hit that hard?" She heard footsteps.

Cocking her fist back, she immediately punched in the direction of the sound. However she soon found it stuck in the vice known as Gohan's grip.

"A killer hits as hard as he can."

"Of course," Videl replied laced with sarcasm.

Unbeknownst to Videl, behind her blindfold Gohan was frowning deeply. This didn't seem to work right. He needed to change it up a little bit.

"Let's play a little game… If you land a single clean punch on me, I will go all of tonight without dinner." Killers liked to play games, and they didn't always play fair. But he needed to make Videl try and _attack_ him, rather than just evade… there's no way she'd make any further progress without having to deal with the stress off constant counter-attacks. "But… If you don't manage to land a single hit, you will go without dinner."

"Are you giving me a choice?" Videl asked, curiously with a hint of sarcasm.

"Killers don't give choices." Videl could almost see his smirk through her blindfold.

…

**Authors Notes: We apologise for the long lapse in updates. However they should begin to kick up again.**

**This chapter was brought to you by Son Goshen, SierraLarson, Kakarot Son and Freeloader1125… Hope you enjoyed the colossal chapter.**

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	11. Chapter 11

Tranquil Violence

Chapter 11

There were few things as bad as going without dinner, Gohan knew that many times over. So he couldn't for the life of him remember why making a bet where dinner was on the line seemed like the smart thing to do. Oh, he would be fine to be sure. A night without food wouldn't be to hard to overcome if he were being honest. It's just that complaining about it in his head seemed to take his mind of the otherwise all-consuming hunger rumbling from his stomach.

Videl, however, wasn't fairing much better. The initial thrill of actually making contact with her fist against her teacher was only comparable to a five year old at a parade. Yet, he just had to go and ruin it all.

_"Ya ya … you got me."_

A hollow victory. That's all it was. Gohan Sensei had let her hit him. For whatever reason, pity, a joke, whatever, he had let her.

Videl wasn't even sure how she knew. She just … knew. It was a strange feeling, one she couldn't really grasp with words. It really had felt like she hit him good. A nice and solid hit with a good thud, and god did her hand hurt afterwords, so she had hit him. But even with all of her senses telling her she hit Gohan, something else kept bugging her. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew Gohan Sensei had let her hit him, and it just made her sick to her stomach.

The two sat in silence, both not eating for their own reasons. Just sitting in their makeshift campsite was rather dull compared to their day to day training, but neither really felt bored. It was a needed rest, even if they weren't eating.

"Is the altitude still getting to you?"

Videl jumped out of her thoughts, turning to face her sensei. "Huh?"

"The food. You really should eat to get back your strength. Not taking care of yourself up here is dangerous."

"Oh. Ya, I guess." muttered Videl, turning back to her food. She took a nibble, which seemed to be enough for Gohan as he turned his attention back towards the setting sun. It really really tasted good, but that probably was due to her being so drained of energy. And even though Videl was hungry, there just was to much it. Her sensei had eaten … more than his fair share to be sure, but now that it was just her there was way way way to much.

Gohan was an odd guy, to be sure. Videl had figured that out a while ago, but now that she was being allowed more time with him, his strangeness was really starting to come to light. He had the eyes and killing intent of a killer, and not just an average one. Yet at the same time he could smile just as brightly as any five year old. And nothing he did was wasted. Be that food or living, every move he made seemed to be planned to perfection. And that was what bugged Videl. A fighter like Gohan Sensei wouldn't just let himself be hit. Maybe some half-baked instructor who just wanted to give his students self confidence would do that, but not Gohan. There had to be something to it!

"Hey, can we go one more round before nightfall?"

Gohan glanced over, finding Videl standing up, the bulk of her food yet untouched. "You've worked hard enough today. Rest is just as important as training."

Videl grumbled, trying to think on her feet. "I understand that Sensei, but I just wanna test something. Please?"

Gohan still looked like he didn't agree with the idea, so Videl pulled out her ace. "If I can't hit you, how about we split dinner?"

Even if Gohan hadn't wanted to, his eyes instantly shot towards the still hot meat just across the camp grounds from him. He had to admit, Videl was a quick girl to have figured out one of his buttons.

"I guess a quick spar wouldn't hurt. Keep your focus."

-DBZ-

"IT'S THEM!"

The Satan Butler braced his eardrums, mentally preparing himself for what was sure to follow. It was no easy job to help care for Hercule. "Who … sir?"

"Them! Those guys! From … oh god, it's them!"

Hercule couldn't believe it. Of all people, it had to be "them". Those fighters from the Cell games. They were back! He hadn't opened up the packet Erasa had given him till he got home, and though the faces looked familiar he hadn't been able to place it till he had given up and went to watch some of his old tapes to calm his nerves. It just happened to be the Cell games reel to be next in the cycle, and though the actual fighting wasn't exactly the part he liked to watch, it was the press afterwords that warmed his heart.

But on the side, durring one of the breaks, it had mentioned the fighters. The faces matched up. A few changes after all these years to be sure, but even so Hercule could tell. IT WAS THEM!

But why now? After all this time? Did they want ... revenge for him taking their credit? They sure were doing a good job of it, his dojo was facing it's first month in the red … ever. But why NOW? After all this time, why would they bother to come out now?

Maybe … maybe they didn't want revenge? They would have just challenged him then. No, maybe they wanted him to suffer? And then lord it over him! That was it! Well, Hercule could play that kinda game, for sure. Why, after he was done, they'd be ran right outa town and everyone would come back to him, including Vid...

"VIDEL!"

Oh lord, his baby was over at that hand-me-down dojo! Did she know, had they told her he hadn't beaten Cell? Oh no … ohhh no. That actually would explain why his sweet pea had been avoiding him all this time! She knew! And now … there would be no way she would forgive him. Mark probably would never look at him again either!

Hercule crumpled into the chair behind him, his hands covering his face as he sulked. What was he going to do?

-DBZ-

Videl smirked as her sensei stood up, taking his fighting stance. Rather than taking her own, she shot towards the teen at full speed. Gohan weaved to the right, dodging the first punch. He was surprised to say the least. Usually Videl would wait till they got to the training grounds to start with a formal beginning. At least she was catching on to his drilling of there was no such thing as a fair fight.

Spinning, Videl continued the motion of her punch as she brought her back foot around. Gohan ducked down with annoying ease as he followed the motion into the girls blind spot. Videl jumped back as soon as she got two feet back onto the ground, but Gohan was nowhere to be seen. How he was able to do that so easily was still a mystery, but it wasn't as surprising anymore. Calming herself, Videl closed her eyes and tried to focus her other senses.

Videl could smell the meat still cooking behind her. She could both feel and hear the cold wind blowing against her tired frame. Here eyes would be no use against someone like Gohan. And, well, tasted was rather useless here.

A blow suddenly smashed into Videl's side, sending her head over heals as she flew to the side. One of her golden hair clips smashed against the rocks as she fell, breaking upon impact. Her hair instantly went every which way, causing Videl to nearly growl from frustration rather than the pain. Her hand quickly whipped through her hair, pushing it to the back while ripping out the other hair clip.

Her eyes shot up once her hair wasn't in the way, finding Gohan standing where she had been. His eyes were serious, sending wave upon wave of killing intent towards her. Videl couldn't help it as her knees went weak. That look just wasn't something a normal person could get used to. But Videl wasn't normal, and she was going to prove that.

Forcing herself to stand, Videl held her fists up against her sides. She was still ready to fight, even if her body wasn't. Infact, half of her almost figured Gohan Sense would call the fight then and there, but rather he charged at her instead.

Gohan threw a right at her, landing a hit square against her cheek. He watched, impressed, as Videl spun with the hit thrusting out a leg towards him. That was good enough of a move, he figured, for her to get a hit. She got one last round, and she really needed the food more than he did. So even as his stomach growled in protest, he let the attack strike his shoulder.

He eased up, only for a moment, but it was enough. Dispute hitting him and stopping like the last fight, Videl rather pushed off of Gohan and spun around once again throwing her fist with all her might and weight behind it towards his nose.

If the fact that Videl had continued to fight hadn't surprised him enough, the amount of killing intent in her eyes came to Gohan as an even bigger one. She had always looked determined before, and the anger was there, but now she was channeling enough of that into her attacks for Gohan to actually sense it now. Without thinking, Gohan dodged the blow, Videl's fist sliding just past his shoulder.

The two stood there for some time, Videl huffing and puffing as she caught her breath while Gohan just stood there blinking from shock. Videl couldn't help but let a smile grow on her face. "I get it!"

"You … get it?" stuttered Gohan as he relaxed from his fighting form for good this time. "Get what?"

"That whole sensing thing you were talking about! It was only for a moment, but I felt you relax after I hit you! You've been letting me hit you and then relaxing so I'd catch that, right?"

Gohan could only blink. "Right?"

Videl's smirk only grew. She had been right! Of course Gohan Sensei wasn't an average guy, this was something only he would think to do! And she had caught on! Finally, for the first time since coming to the new dojo, Videl finally felt like she had made some serious progress of her own!

Gohan wasn't really sure what was going on, but if Videl actually had been able to sense his energy then he had accomplished what he had set out to do with her. Maybe he just was a better teacher than he thought? Mr Piccolo must have rubbed off on him a little. Smiling, he put his hand on Videl's shoulder.

"Now we just have to make it so you can sense your opponent at all times."

Smiling, Videl nodded. "Piece of cake!"

The two then walked towards their now cooling meat, both of them hungry and now really ready to eat it all. Gohan led the way, Videl trailing after as she addressed the state of her body. She really was beat up, no doubt about that. Gohan Sensei wasn't going easy on her. Yet, as she watched him childishly rush towards his food, she couldn't help but smile. Maybe goofy was the best word to describe him. He sure wasn't normal.

But then again, thought Videl with a smile, neither was she.

**Written by: ResistanceKnight**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: This is the first official chapter I wrote for TDS, so please take it easy on me :P Have a good read!**

**Brought to you by Kalebxdd with a little bit of extra help by Gue22**

* * *

><p>Gohan was sitting cross-legged in front of Videl as he watched the raven-haired girl meditate. He had told her to completely clear her mind in order for the next part of her training to succeed. He granted himself lucky, seeing that Tien had already taught the teenaged crime-fighter to calm her senses through the art of meditation. It would make the next part of the training a lot easier on the both of them. She wouldn't be able to learn what he was about to teach her if she was uptight and stressed out.<p>

Videl took deep and regular breaths as she was finally able to dive into the deep peaceful depths of her being. After several hours of being tense and on edge, the peaceful feeling that meditating brought her felt like a blessing. She had to be slightly wary though, for she felt like she could fall asleep is she kept meditating for too long. Gohan had told her that she needed to clear her mind and bring her herself to a peaceful state before they would be able to proceed with their training. Videl had no clue to what he was going to teach her next, but she had faith in his abilities and she was certain that he knew what he was doing.

After several minutes of meditation, Videl felt that her body had relaxed and that the stressful thoughts that had swarmed through her mind just minutes ago had completely disappeared. She took a final deep breath before opening her eyes to look at her Sensei. A slight determined smile curled around her lips.

"I'm ready."

* * *

><p>Mark was digging into his lunch like he hadn't eaten in several days. Training with Yamcha was really taking everything out of him. At night, he was barely able to crawl to his sleeping bag, only to fall asleep after mere seconds. Sharpener was having a rough time as well, but he faring a lot better than Mark, something that irritated the spawn of Satan to no end. He still couldn't comprehend that Sharpener, the biggest oaf that had ever walked into his father's dojo was doing better than him. Mark had already come to terms with the fact that Sensei Yamcha's dojo was superior to his father's, but the incredible difficulty of the training was really getting to him.<p>

Mark chewed down his final piece of deer and let out a huge content burp. Sharpener shook his head and gave a disgusted look.

"Just because we're in the forest now it doesn't mean that you have to neglect your table manners!" Sharpener scoffed. Mark ignored the blonde boy and looked around their campsite. He was trying to find Yamcha and he eventually spotted the scared fighter lounging in a tree nearby.

"Yamcha!" Mark called out, grasping the ex-bandit's attention.

"Yeah?"

"What are we going to do today?"

A smile formed on Yamcha's face. Without warning, he jumped from he branch he had been lounging on and plummeted sixty feet down to the earth below, scaring the life out of both Mark and Sharpener. Yamcha landed on his feet with a degree of nonchalance, leaving the two teenagers with their mouth agape. They still hadn't completely gotten over the fact that their Sensei was possibly superhuman.

"You had a question?" Yamcha said, who was now standing in front of the two boys.

Mark quickly regained his composure. "Yeah, I did. I was wondering what we were going to do today."

Yamcha planted himself down on the ground next to Sharpener. "Well…' he said as he grabbed a piece of deer that was still roasting over the fire, "I've been keeping very close track of you training and I believe that the two of you are ready for the next part of your training." He answered. He put the piece of deer in his mouth and eagerly started chewing on his first meal of the day.

"And that might me?" Sharpener asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yamcha held up a hand to notify Sharpener and Mark that his mouth was still full. After he swallowed the meat he spoke.

"Today, we will start training the usage of Ki."

* * *

><p>"Ki?" Videl questioned. Videl had been studying martial arts for several years now. She knew all there was to know about more than one fighting style and the World Martial Arts Tournaments. She had studied several legendary fighters and martial arts masters, but never had she heard about anything called Ki.<p>

"Yes, Ki." Gohan replied. He didn't fail to notice the quizzical look on the raven-haired girl's face, so he quickly added: "Ki is what allows one to perform the things your father refers to as _light tricks_."

This definitely had her attention.

Since training under Gohan's Dojo, she'd come to question her father's way of fighting and his skills as a martial artist. He had dismissed some of the most loved fights of the old martial artist veterans as fake. Deep down, Videl had always felt like there had to have been more to the story than just 'light tricks' so she was very interested to hear what her sensei had to say.

"And what exactly is this 'Ki'?" Videl enquired.

"Heh heh heh," Gohan chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I think it's best to show you. If you would please follow me." He got up from his cross-legged position and offered Videl his hand, which she gladly accepted.

Gohan started walking in a random direction down the mountain and Videl quickly followed in his tracks. She had no idea where her Sensei was taking her, but she was certain that he had a proper reason to move away from their campsite.

Gohan lead her to a part of the mountain that was flat and overgrown with big sturdy trees, making it impossible for Videl's eyes to gaze further than thirty yards into the distance.

Videl had the uneasy feeling that she could easily get lost if she didn't keep up. Hurriedly, she looked up and noticed that Gohan was disappearing into the thick maze of leaves and tree trunks.

He turned around just then, and stopped, allowing her to catch up.

"Maybe it's best to stay as close to me as possible." he said, as his lips curled in a slight reassuring smile. He reached for her hand, grasped it, pulled her close and walked on.

Videl smiled back and allowed herself to be led, the distance between their bodies hardly exceeding an inch.

To Videl, Gohan's presence was in the least to say, overwhelming. It wasn't just about the hand holding, it was as if his presence was continuously growing larger somehow. She was suddenly very, very aware of him. He was more than invading her personal space, but in this situation, she found that she didn't mind all that much.

The thing was, usually, whenever somebody came too close, she always felt highly uncomfortable. In more than one occasion she'd been forced to kick and punch them out of her private zone.

But lately with Gohan, she felt different. That terror from the first day of training had slowly faded away, leaving only a sense of peace when they were alone. Perhaps she should still be on her guard, after all, he could just as easily turn on her again, but somehow she doubted. It was silly and presumptuous to feel this way, but that's how it was.

Videl, who had been watching her feet move during most of their walk, looked up at her Sensei. Yes, he was definitely walking way too close, his nearness, his very presence completely overwhelming. She could literally feel his body warmth radiating onto her.

As they continued to walk, her ears would perk at the sound of his heavy, yet peaceful breathing, while her nose tingled at his warm and musky scent. She was aware of it even more because her sensei was never one to be out of breath, so why now? Still, whether she wanted to admit it or not, the feel of his presence, the sound of his breathing, the waft of his scent, it was all so strong and slightly intoxicating.

The walk continued for another fifteen minutes with Gohan taking lefts and rights. She trusted him completely, but at the back of her mind she couldn't help but wonder if he really knew where he was going. He seemed very sure of himself, though.

"Hey Gohan." she said halfway through the walk, effectively breaking the silence between them. "How the hell do you know where you are going? Do you have a built-in GPS or something? I can't see where we're headed and you seem to know this forest like it's your backyard!"

Gohan chuckled at her remark. "It's kind of a sad story, actually." He grinned. "When I was just four years old I got lost in the forest. I had to survive on my own for several months, trying to find my way back to my mother. I believe that I camped out in this exact forest for several weeks, so I know my way around."

Videl decided that dropping her jaw in amazement wouldn't be any good. Gohan was able to surprise her every time he opened his mouth, so acting like you've just seen water burning got kind of old after the hundredth time.

Suddenly Gohan stood still.

Videl was still too busy processing the previous information to notice this, and so with just one little mini-step, she walked right into him.

"We're here." he declared.

Videl stepped away, and took some time to analyze her surroundings. They were still in the middle of the forest. Gohan had stopped at an open spot in the middle of the roof of leaves and branches. She could spy a small and peaceful mountain stream with water so clean and inviting, she found that she had to suppress a sudden urge to jump in.

"Please sit down." Invited Gohan, gesturing to the grass by the banks of the stream. He then walked over and sat down in his trademark cross-legged position.

Videl joined him and sat down as well.

There was a moment of pure silence, which Videl used to let the peaceful atmosphere of the forest take her in. She felt at peace with the soothing sound of the babbling brook and the winds softly brushing through the treetops. The chirping of birds and the gentle warm touch of the sun gave the whole scene an extra joyous sparkle.

"Yeah, I know, it's beautiful." said Gohan, snapping Videl out of her trance.

"So, do you think you are ready for this lesson?" he asked as he clapped his hands.

Videl gave a nod. She felt ready for anything.

"Alright, Ki." Gohan began.

Videl nodded, giving her sensei her full attention.

"Well, believe it or not, but you already had a small taste of that." Gohan said, smiling upon seeing the quizzical look on his pupil's face.

"It's like this…" he began. "While we were walking, didn't you kind of have the feeling that I was invading your personal space?"

"Um..." Videl flushed. "I was...err..." So he'd been doing it on purpose!

"The feeling you had as we were walking, the sudden overwhelming awareness of my presence around you is something that most of us, from time to time get to experience without even knowing what it is. It's a presence, an energy that radiates from another person that tends to sharpen in certain situations, but very quickly to the untrained and unaware individual, it tends to disappear. That Videl, is what we mean by Ki."

Videl just stared.

"The trick is to be aware of it," continued Gohan. "then to isolate it and then most importantly to control it. If we learn to control it, we will be able to enhance our ability to locate its presence around us – to sense it to a point where we can do it on a world wide scale."

Videl blinked, as she tried to follow.

"And in battle," continued Gohan, "being able to locate and keep tabs on your opponent this way, is an absolute advantage. "

Videl had to agree with that logic. If she was aware of Mark's whereabouts in a fight, she'd definitely best him. Hell, her father too!

"But Ki is something that can be used to an extent far greater than just that. Take a look at the stream." He shifted his eyes to said stream.

Videl did as she was told and watched as the water flew down the mountain paths. She listened to Gohan's teaching without averting her gaze.

"The relationship between humans and Ki can be compared to a river like this. Man has the ability to change the river's shape, to manipulate it and use it to his own advantage. Just like a river Ki can be bent and manipulated to ensure maximum efficiency. If we learn to find the Ki that resides within ourselves we can learn to control and manipulate it."

"Manipulate it how?" she thought out loud.

"The things that your father likes to call 'light tricks' are nothing but balls and waves of Ki."

"It just doesn't seem possible, how can one bend their own energy and turn it into energy bombs?"

"Like this," said Gohan.

Videl watched as he put out his hand. Videl stared at it, but nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. But then, a light started to shimmer in his palm, which both captivated and baffled her. She could feel the warmth radiating from it. She continued to stare, marvelling at its sheer brilliance. It was safe to say that this wasn't a light trick.

"This is my energy, manifested outside my body." said Gohan.

Videl gulped, reaching out to touch it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." he chuckled. "Watch," he said, just before he shot the ball at a nearby rock.

Videl saw the explosion with disbelieving eyes as she watched the dirt and the debris fly in every direction possible.

"A...A-Amazing," her eyes sparkled.

"It is, it's really something, but that's not all you can do!" Gohan exclaimed with with a joyous sparkle in his eyes. "You can use it to load your punches," he punched into the ground.

Videl gaped, at that force and speed she was fully expecting to hear the sickening crunch of fingers breaking. Instead, her sensei's fist drilled a hole in the ground, burying his lower arms in the debris.

Gohan pulled his hand out of the rubble and patted the dirt from his arm. "I bet you liked seeing that, didn't you?" said Gohan with an amused smirk.

Videl vigorously nodded, still too dumbstruck to speak.

"But that's not even the best part!" Gohan said enthusiastically, his smile growing wider by the second. "The thing that you're probably most willing to learn is how to fly!"

"F-f-f-fly?" she stammered.

"Yes, fly. Please allow me to demonstrate."

Videl couldn't be anything but astounded when Gohan started to levitate several inches above the ground, not even bothering to uncross his legs. He hovered in the air for several seconds, giving a lazy yawn like it was nothing big. When he touched ground again he couldn't help but chuckle at the dumbfounded expression on Videl's face.

"I thought you'd find it interesting." He said with a grin. "I assume that you want me to teach you all of this, am I correct?"

All she could do was nod.

* * *

><p>Hercule was sitting in an armchair in his living room, his head down, his hands in his hair. He was royally screwed; he knew that for a fact.<p>

How big were the odds of the people from the Cell Games showing up and reeling his two children in? If they were going to teach Mark and Videl their ways of martial arts they would most certainly teach them how to do those things that he had been calling 'light tricks' for years now. And then they would find out that it was all real, that people actually have the capability of blowing things up with energy beams and that they can fly.

They would come to the conclusion that that green nightmare Cell was easily capable of destroying the earth if he pleased. And worst of all, they would find out that it wasn't him that had saved the world. That he had been lying for over seven years, telling the world that he was their savior, only to feed off of the fame and fortune.

Hercule could just picture their faces when they would find out that the world had actually been saved by an eleven year old boy.

He grabbed the bottle of whiskey from the side table and poured himself his third in thirty minutes. He knew that drinking wouldn't solve his problems and that it could possibly make them bigger, but he just needed to get away from everything right now.

In a few days his children would come back and he was going to have to face them and explain to them why he had lied for the past seven years. He was going to have to explain that the paparazzi followed their every move just because their father was a fraud.

He drank a big gulp of whiskey and softly grunted as the liquor scorched his throat. What was he to do? His career was at the brink of total extinction, possibly his life too. Who knows what lunatic would snap if he knew that his saviour had been lying all along. The whole world adored him, literally the whole world! If they found out the truth, who could say that some crazy person with a gun wouldn't roam around with the intension of aiming it at him?

He down the glass of whiskey completely at his second swig and immediately poured himself a refill. Even if he had to face the media and possibly a deranged ex-fan, the thing he feared the most was the confrontation with his children. They would probably never want to see him again, shun him from their lives, deny his existence.

But...he was determined not to let that happen. His kids were everything to him and he sure as hell wasn't going to lose them.

* * *

><p>Videl was holding her hands closely together, trying to concentrate. She was trying to bring out her Ki per Gohan's instructions. She could feel herself growing more annoyed by the second, completely the opposite of the calm state that Gohan had ordered her to be in.<p>

Begrudgingly, she decided to try again.

She concentrated solely on herself as she tried to find the Ki that slumbered within her. But it was to no avail. She gave an agitated growl and slammed her fists down, her nails making small tracks in the dirt.

"It's not working!" she growled angrily. "This whole Ki thing, it's impossible! I'll never be able to do it!"

Gohan, who had left Videl alone so she could concentrate, jumped up from his spot several feet away. He slowly paced over to the angry girl and sank through his knees in front of her. He looked into her eyes. The raven-haired girl noticed that her Sensei's onyx eyes were filed with worry and compassion.

"Videl, please tell me what's bothering you." Gohan said.

"It's nothing big." Videl said, turning her gaze away from Gohan's shimmering onyx eyes.

"Videl, you can't fool me. I know that something is wrong and I want you to tell me what. I can't teach you anything if you remain as upset as you are. So please, Videl, just tell me what's bothering you."

Gohan looked at the girl and noticed a tear in the corner of her eye.

"It just that…" Videl started sobbing "I try so hard to get stronger every single day. I was lead to believe that I was one of the best fighters in the whole world, being nearly just as good as my dad. And then I come to your dojo and the other Senseis are able to take me down in half a second. I joined your dojo so I could get stronger, but everything is so freaking hard! Every second seems like a new challenge to overcome and it's driving me completely insane. And just now, you tell me that people are able to fly and blow stuff up with energy. You just rise up into the air without even uncrossing your legs, while I can't even find my damn energy!"

The tears were now freely flowing over the small crime fighter's cheeks. Gohan sighed. Even though he was a professional martial artist, he had little knowledge on how to comfort a crying girl. Maybe it was about the same as getting his little brother Goten to stop his sobbing.

He reached forward and cupped Videl's chin. He turned her head to face him and he looked her in her eyes again.

Videl felt like he was penetrating her soul with that look, she was helpless to look away.

Gohan flashed her a warm smile."Videl, I don't want you to worry so much. We came out here in the wilderness for several reasons. For one, you needed to find your killer instinct and now I know that you can go for the kill. Secondly, we're here because I wanted to teach you about your sixth sense. But you assume that I want you to have complete control of your Ki in ten minutes! That's ridiculous! We will be out here for a few more days, so you'll be able to take your time. Why don't you take a break for now, we can continue this later on."

Those words managed to cheer Videl up a bit. Gohan was getting more mysterious every time he opened his mouth! First, he is a cold-blooded fighting machine, next time he's as happy as a five year old in a candy store! Apparently he was also adept in the art of comforting. "Thank you for that." she said.

"No problem." Gohan said, a smile still etched across his face. He put his other hand forward and wiped the tears from Videl's face.

Videl could feel herself blushing madly as Gohan's rough fingers gently traced her cheekbones. Her heart started beating faster with every consecutive touch, her breathing too.

_Who is this guy? This isn't the first time that I feel like this around him. Heavy breathing, my heart beating faster, the last time that I had that was…_

Videl's eyes slightly widened in shock at the thought and she hoped that Gohan hadn't noticed.

_When I had a crush on a boy in my school._

No, that couldn't be. It simply couldn't be. He was her Sensei and she was his student, nothing more. It was absolutely ridiculous! She just couldn't be interested in him in that way.

But then her eyes roamed over his face, those kind eyes, that warm smile...

Or could she..?

* * *

><p><em><strong>That's the chapter guys, please let the team know your thoughts.<strong>_


	13. Chapter 13

**This chapter is brought to you by the combined efforts of Gue22 and Razamataz Twentytwo.**

**Team Dragon Star does not own DBZ**

...

They started off early to avoid being caught in the mid-day heat. All the supplies her Sensei had brought were now capsulated and ready to go. Sighing, Videl swung back her back-pack and looked around for the last time, her eyes falling on the familiar morning sunlight cast over the vast expanse of rocks, hills and mountains that stretched as far as the eye could see.

A little smile tugged at her lips as she took it all in. It all looked so different to her now, unlike on that first morning when she'd woken up to disorientation and terror. She felt nothing of the sort now, only a quiet peace radiating from the undisturbed tranquillity of this isolated region. "Ready?" Gohan called out to her.

"Yeah, let's go home." she smiled, and then followed after him.

The trek was also different, she could keep up with him now, unlike on the climb. Sure, going downhill didn't really compare with going up but in just a few short days she knew how far she'd come. The thought of her brother put a scowl on her face. How far had he come? Did he go through the same training as her? It really irked her, not knowing if she finally had the skills to best him or if...he'd progressed even further than her, increasing the gap that she was so desperately trying to close.

Her Sensei was quiet as they tracked on, the soft crunch of rock under his boots bringing her out of her musings. As usual, or at least since the day of her first lesson of Ki, she just couldn't shake feeling him, being aware of him. His energy felt more real than the air she knew she was breathing, even though she couldn't see it. "You're doing it again aren't you?" she said, as she peered down at her feet, choosing her footing carefully. "You're trying to overwhelm me with your presence."

Gohan laughed, "No. Not at all. You're just tuned into me, you should try to tune out and explore our surroundings."

Videl flushed, is that what it was? She tried to make herself stop feeling him. A little quiet time in the senses department would do her some good, but concentrate as she may, she just couldn't manage it. "I don't think I know how," she frowned.

"Replace me, that's the easiest when you're still trying to get the hang of this."

"Replace you? But you're the only one out here."

"True, but I'm not the only living thing out here. Come, let's play a game. I used to play this with my brother all the time. "

"You have a brother?" She frowned, thinking of her own brother. Something told her that Gohan and his brother had more of the ideal sibling relationship than her and Mark. As things stood, as much as she loved her brother, she also couldn't stand him for the most part. She wanted nothing more than to beat him into the ground once and for all.

"Yeah, I do." He smiled fondly. "So, you wanna play?"

"Um," Videl scrunched up her face, concerned. She peered down the side of the mountain, wondering how far they still had to go till they reached the bottom. Was it such a good idea to play some training game on such a treacherous slope?

Gohan chuckled, "Its not a jumping game. Don't look so worried."

"I'm not," she flushed. "I just wanted to see how far we still had to go before we reach the rendezvous point."

"A while, but we've made a lot of progress," said Gohan. "If you want I can kill a bit of time and fly us down. That way we'll start the game on solid ground. There's bound to be more Kis to spy down there anyway."

"Kis to spy?"

"Yeah, we're going to play I spy." He closed the small gap between them and opened up his arms to her. "May I?"

"Err, sure. Of course." She stepped into them, feeling foolish. His arms circled around hers and in no time at all, and like the first time he'd taken her up in the air, she found herself pressed up against him warm body. Yeah, it was a good thing he couldn't see her face like this, the foolishness was making her cheeks misbehave.

Like and umbrella in the wind he slowly began to take off, ascending slowly from the ground as he moved them sideways until they were clear of the mountain. He then slowly let them begin their descent, like the end of a trip on an air-balloon. Oh, she definitely felt foolish, barely breathing just because he was holding her. She really had to get a grip on this inconvenient crush, this was her Sensei! "Can I ask you something?" she had to fill this awkwardness she felt with something.

"What's up?"

"That first day, when we climbed up here and I could barely breathe, let alone walk and I …kinda…you know…fell?"

"Did I fly you to the top?" she could feel him smiling even if she couldn't see it.

"Yeah, did you?"

"I did. It only took a second."

"Huh," she said. So she'd missed out on her first flight in his arms after all, not that…it was relevant. In no time at all their feet touched the ground and Videl was more than eager to separate from him.  
>She began walking off in a daze, willing her heart to calm down. This was ridiculous, since the day he'd dried her tears, she hadn't been able to stop this maddening debate in her head.<p>

Do I like him? No! Of course not! Oh really? Then why have you taken to staring at him all the time? Why does your heart skip each time he smiles down at you? Because he's my Sensei! I just want him to be proud of my progress!

"It's…this way," Gohan steered her back. "Are you ready?"

"I guess, so how do we play?"

"It's easy, for instance," his face looked cautious as he darted his eyes. "I spy with my evil senses…something…over…there," he snatched her hand and all she felt was a gust of wind before they were couching behind a bush spying on a buck as it chewed down on some grass.

"Oh," she frowned. "I'll never be able to move that fast."

"It's not about how fast you can move, it's about sharpening your senses. Come on, try it. There's lots of animal Kis around, just try to find them. They're pretty tiny so it's difficult, but if you can pick them out and separate them, then you'll find that everything else you try to do with your Ki will become easier."

"Okay, I'll try but…"

"But what?"

"You remember what happened to me yesterday when I shot out that Ki ball at you?" she flushed.

Gohan laughed, "Don't worry Videl, you won't pass out from this exercise, there's nothing draining about it."

"Alright," she said. The last thing she wanted was to arrive like a sack of potatoes in Gohan's arms when they met up with the others. Mark would never let her live it down.

"Oh and Gohan?"

"Mm?"

"Why evil?"

"Evil?"

"Yeah, you said 'I spy with my evil senses'."

"Oh!" he laughed. "Heheheh, I don't know, my brother came up with that one, I just went with it."

…

Just like a kid with a lighter, he played with it incessantly. He pushed it out and let it glow from the tip of his finger. He then twirled it, rolling it into a ball, watching, as its glimmer slowly faded out. Man, what a high! "Easy Mark," Yamcha cautioned. "I already have one sack to deal with, I don't have room for you too." Mark laughed out loud; Sharpener was still slung over their Sensei's shoulder, passed out from his efforts. What an idiot.

To think that the blonde had bested him throughout this training, making him doubt himself as he questioned the all the teachings of his father with each passing day. It was a foreign feeling, coming second, a hard one to swallow indeed. He'd been second to none with the exception of his father, but since joining the new dojo, and then this trip under Sensei Yamcha's tutelage he had watched Sharpener blossom and surpass him.

He had grown to respect the blonde as they went through trials and trials together, and even though Sharpner always beat him when it came down to a one on one...in this last feat, this Ki training...heh...those superior Satan genes had come out to play after all.

See, after days of trying and trying, he'd finally been able to push out a little flicker of Ki with his finger, and though it had exhausted him, it hadn't brought him to his knees. Seeing this, Sharpener's jealousy knew no bounds – obviously, this whole time he'd been number one, it was understandable that he'd expect to master this first as well.

Sensei Yamcha had warned him that in martial arts there was no room for gloating, that the strongest today could very well find himself bested tomorrow, and heh...this had come to pass indeed. Sure, Sharpener could still beat him in a one on one, but he – Satan Mark had mastered Ki first! Ha! Soon he'd be at Yamcha's level, then he'd be able to send a blast in the blonde's direction.  
>Unable to take being second either, Sharpener had pushed himself all night, and all morning until he'd finally managed to push something out, but that poor excuse of a Ki ball he'd made had drained the blonde of every ounce of his energy and now he lay slumped like a chump over Yamcha's shoulder.<p>

Shaking his head, Mark trekked on, he couldn't wait to get to the rendezvous point, he couldn't wait to see the look on Videl's face. Pushing out once more, he brought out another flicker and began to twirl it round and round. Man, this was something else!

...

"Hehehe," Gohan laughed. "That's seven points _me_," he pointed at himself, "and one point Videl, I'm _so_ winning this!"

Videl growled, "Well of course you are! Jeez! It's not like there was ever a doubt that you were gonna win!" Jeez, sometimes she didn't get him at all! He got excitable so easily, just like a little kid, then he'd get all serious and solemn like a wise old man. It was tough keeping up with him.  
>She cleared her mind and pushed his presence to the side, at least she'd been able to dim it somewhat, enough to create enough space to sense other things around them as well. She wasn't about to tell him this but she didn't couldn't 'tune him out' as he'd put it. How far would he have to be from her she wondered, before he'd be out of her limited radius?<p>

She flushed, cursing at her thoughts. The last thing she wanted was to go to bed tonight with his Ki brimming bright and hot in her mind. "I spy with my evil senses," she darted her eyes like a deer about to flee from a predator. "Something..." she grabbed his hand and dragged him along as her feet flew. "Come on, it's this way!" she ran as fast as she could. It was something big, maybe it was a small herd or something, 'cause if she wasn't mistaken, it was more than one Ki. "Come on," she kept going, jumping over a boulder and smacking tree branches out her way. "Come on!"

Gohan laughed, easily matching her sprint. "I'm with you!"

"We're close!" she pushed herself harder, her head darting out first into the clearing. "I-"

"Hey buddy," Krilin grinned. "Took you guys long enough."

Videl came to a complete stop. So, they'd made it after all, so quickly...

Sensei Krilin and Freed were lounging on the grass like they were watching for fireworks in the sky. Sensei Yamcha was just arriving with...she did a double take. With Sharpener slumped over his shoulder? Huh? But of course, that's not all. Her face twisted into a scowl when she spied her dark haired brother treading behind him.

Mark looked quite pleased with himself, carelessly playing with a flicker of Ki in his fingers.

"Nicely done Videl," Gohan gave her a pat on the back. "That's seven, two. Not bad."

Videl rolled her eyes. As if there was ever a doubt about how this game would end, she thought.

"Hey guys," Gohan stepped into the clearing. "I see you beat us to the punch. So I guess we are just waiting on Tien and Katie and then we're all good to head back. Did you guys enjoy the camp?"

Needless to say, the responses were of a mixed variety.

...

Hercule sat within the confines of his mansion, empty bottles of booze littered by the side of the armchair he reclined in. Despite his drunken state, he knew that both of his children were coming back tomorrow, and he still knew the deficit they would face when they returned. Money from his hand had made the order. Thankfully he had gone through the whole situation with a sense of being anonymous, only his employee being the one to know of the order he commanded. Despite that, he still had trouble believing that he had done it.

Getting to his feet, he stumbled slightly, banging his knee into a nearby coffee table. A small grunt of pain escaped his lips but he quickly recovered his footing. Looking out the nearby window, he observed the city that bore his name, the name of a liar. He both hated it and loved it at the same time. He bathed in the praise people gave him seven years after he first constructed that lie that gave him international worship. In a sudden blast of anger, he reached down and gripped at an empty bottle before hurling it at the window with all his force. In the state he was in however he missed the window completely and hit a cabinet, shattering a photo frame.

His anger quickly subsided as he stumbled towards the broken photo frame. Gripping the wooden frame, he brushed away the shattered pieces of glass with the back of his hand as he pulled the photo out. Silent tears fell upon the small laminated photo, the three faces smiling back towards him seemingly not caring about his current state of mind. Hercule saw himself smiling with Mark and Videl standing next to them, each sporting the new belt they had achieved and all three were giving the 'peace' sign towards the cameraman.

That had been the last photo with the three of them looking so much like a family.

After that day, Mark had begun High School and became focused on both his studies and martial arts, and Videl found the gap between her and her brother slowly growing that it began to frustrate her. While Hercule didn't outwardly show it, he could see what had happened between his children. Videl began to isolate herself from the family as Mark became the star pupil of the Satan Dojo. He never wanted to show any favouritism but sadly that was the way that the family developed and as a result all of the recent events had occurred. The smile in the photo…how many years had it been since he had seen his daughter smile like that.

Hercule rubbed his eyes with his forefinger and thumb, trying to relax himself in this strenuous situation. Over the past few days he had seen a number of his students take interest in the new dojo and while most of the students had quickly returned to his tutelage, there were some he hadn't seen since they had left. The reason they were leaving was a simple one.

The daughter of the champ was there.

Videl had seen this dojo as more of a challenge then the one her father ran; as such this was a mighty incentive for a lot of people to see what it was like. He knew that in order for his business to maintain its monopoly he had to take drastic matters, and as he looked out the window as the sun began to set he prayed that his children never found out about what would occur later that night.

...

As nearby street lamps slowly illuminated, Tien and Erasa stepped out of the dojo, twisting the 'Closed' sign to be facing towards the public as they did so. "Thank you for the meditation session Sensei," said Erasa holding her hands behind her back.

"Anytime Erasa," said Tien with a smile at his lips. The meditation sessions he had been spending with Erasa had also helped his state of mind. For a number of days now he had held onto the Multi-Form technique and it was starting to take a bit of stress onto his body. While this was nothing he couldn't handle, taking an hour every now and again to simply rest one's mind and spirit was a good way of reducing the stress.

"Just wondering, why do you keep turning away all of those applicants?" asked Erasa, curious to know what the plan the dojo sensei had in mind.

"We don't want to train just anybody, we need to be able to make people believe beyond their capabilities into what could be determined as the supernatural," explained Tien. "Those who have shut off their minds to such a belief aren't worthy of our teaching."

"So then why are you training me?" asked Erasa.

"Because unlike those who have come here lately, you haven't had your brain corrupted by the fighting style of the Satan Dojo. I'm not saying that the style is bad, rather I'm saying that you are a blank canvas for us to work with and a perfect example of how one with minimal experience can still hold their own if taught in a unique way," concluded Tien.

"Thank you for having such belief in me," said Erasa with a slight bow.

"No need for formalities," said Tien putting his hands up in defence. "Anyways, it's getting late, you should probably be heading home now."

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow sensei," said Erasa as she turned and walked towards where he car was. Tossing a quick glance over her shoulder she found that Tien had vanished from sight but this was now something she was accustomed to. She wondered how she'd be able to explain this to Videl and wondered whether or not the black haired teenager would even believe her but she pushed these thoughts back for another day. After all, she was more excited to see how Videl was after spending so long in the middle of nowhere without any technology, such a thing sent shivers down Erasa's spine.

As she got to her car, she noticed the car parked behind her, the man still sitting in the driver's seat with his headphones wrapped around his ears slowly bobbing away to the music he was playing. Erasa took a glance up and down the street, wondering if he was waiting for somebody but couldn't see anybody walking around the district. With a shrug of her shoulders, believing that the person they were waiting for would come eventually, she got into her car and within a few seconds had switched on the ignition and was soon driving down the street.

Only once the car was out of view did the man open his eyes. Taking off the headphones which had no sound playing out of them, he had been able to hear the sound of the car's engine in front of him. Looking out the window, he roughly estimated that there was half an hour of light left before it became pitch dark, the only light source would be emitting from the street lamps. That would be the time he would strike, and with Hercule's money safely deposited in his account, he would do what he was paid to do.

Burn down the dojo.

...

**Hope you enjoyed.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: TDS does not own Dragonball Z.**

* * *

><p>Videl restlessly tossed and turned in her sleep. An annoying beeping sound rand throughout her bedroom, and her eyes shot open. The raven-haired girl grumbled sleepily at her watch, the source of the frustrating noise. She read the words on the tiny screen through half-opened eyes: 'Police Chief'. The teen pressed a button on the side of the watch and a man dressed in blue appeared on the tiny screen.<strong><br>**  
>"Ah, it's good to see that you're awake, Videl," the inspector greeted.<p>

"Just barely," Videl replied. "What's the problem, chief?" She yawned widely as she swung her legs out of bed, trying to somehow wake herself up by rubbing her eyes slightly.

"A fire has been spotted by one of our helicopters and we want you to go there and assist the firemen by rescuing any people that might still be in the building," he explained.

"Will do, chief," the exhausted teen sighed as she left the comfort of her warm sheets.

"Thank you, Videl," the police chief said. "I'll send you the location immediately." The watch's screen then faded to black, resuming its normal timekeeping functions.

Videl quickly got dressed and ran out her house as fast as she could. She activated a capsule and hopped in her jet copter as soon as the vehicle popped out of its container.

Within seconds Videl was flying above the skyline of Satan City, steering with one hand and arranging her hair in its signature style with the other. Almost instantly, a giant plume of smoke rose into the sky, originating somewhere near the horizon. Videl quickly turned the nose of the jet copter toward it, lowering it as she approached the roaring flames.

The teen's cerulean eyes turned the size of dinner plates as she saw the structure being engulfed by a fiery hell. Gohan´s dojo was burning down to the ground right before her eyes. The flames were way too intense for the firemen to put out right away... the dojo would soon turn to nothing but ashes and rubble, Videl was certain of that. She felt her stomach drop like a brick when she thought of how her Sensei was going to handle this.

The chief of the fire department caught Videl's eye. Immediately, she ran over to the man wearing a giant red helmet, who politely waved at her.

"Chief!" Videl shouted before coming to a halt. "How's the situation? Are there any people trapped inside the building?"

The fireman shook his head. "No, Miss Satan. There was only one person inside of the building at the time and she managed to get herself to safety in time."

Videl heaved a deep sigh of relief. Erasa had managed to get herself out of the building before it became dangerous. Now, she wouldn't have to step into that flaming ball of death. The crime fighter looked around to see if there was anyone that she could possibly assist. She gasped when she saw a familiar figure staring at the burning dojo.

"Gohan!" Videl yelled before running over to her Sensei. The teenager only turned his head and smiled upon seeing the source of the sound. Videl held halt in front of the boy.

"Gohan!" Videl repeated. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah Videl, I'm fine," Gohan nodded. "Thanks for asking, though."

Videl's mouth fell open in surprise. "How can you be fine while you are watching the dojo you spend so much time at burn to ashes?"

Gohan gave a little chuckle. "It's only a dojo, Videl. We should all be glad that no one got hurt; that is what's most important. Dojo's can be rebuilt, people can't." Videl fell silent as she watched the light of the flames dance over the demi-Saiyan's face. He seemed to be so at peace with the fate that his dojo had been subjected to.

But he was speaking the truth. The most important thing was that everybody was safe; human lives were far more important than a wooden building. Videl didn't bother to ask any further questions about the subject until one in particular popped into her head.

"But what about our training?' Videl queried, causing her Sensei to curiously lift an eyebrow.

"Ah, good question!" Gohan remarked. "As of tomorrow, your training will continue in the mountains around my house. It's a great place to train and clear your head. If you want I can also introduce you to my little brother and mother as well. Tien, Yamcha, and Krillin will handle everybody else."

Videl couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did Gohan really just invite her to his house?

"S-sure," Videl stammered. "But where do you live? Could you give me the correct data so I can punch it in on my jetcopter?"

"It'll take you awhile to get there by jet," Gohan replied. "I live in the 439 Mountain District."

Videl tried her best not to gasp. That would take over five hours to get there, flying as fast as she could!

"And just how do you suppose we get there?" Videl demanded, folding her arms across her chest as she waited for a reply.

"Don't worry about it," Gohan answered. "I'll take care of that. Just be ready around noon. I'll meet you at your house."

Was this guy crazy or something? If Videl's dad saw her with her new Sensei, he would probably go on a rampage! And Videl didn't even know how to fly yet, so how was he expecting her to fly for such a long distance?

"You can't!" Videl protested. "My dad has been keeping track of me for the past few weeks. If he sees me with you, we're both in big trouble!"

Gohan gave an amused chuckle. "Don't worry, Videl. I think that I'll be able to handle a confrontation with your father."

Videl could only sigh as Gohan swatted away her protests. Her Sensei was probably just trusting his instincts, as he always did. Videl could already imagine what the confrontation was going to be like. Probably a lot of screaming from her father's end, that was a certainty.

Videl turned her gaze to the sea of fire and watched as the flames licked the wooden structure of the dojo. Tomorrow was certainly going to be interesting.

...

'Oh shit. Oh shit. He'll be here in a few minutes."

To Videl, it seemed like the last twenty-four hours had flown by. Her watch already read 11:57, and her Sensei would be arriving at noon.

The raven-haired crimefighter gazed out her window, contemplating all the possible scenarios that were about to unfold. The most likely involved her father assuming that Gohan was her secret boyfriend and throwing a fit. She sighed heavily. Whatever the outcome, it wouldn't be pretty.

Ever since Videl had returned from her camping trip, her father had made several attempts at conversation, all in vain. Each and every time, the irritated teen had simply walked in the other direction and pretended like he didn't exist. She had no clue what to make of the Cell Games, but after being in the arms of someone who could fly and witnessing first hand her brother physically manifesting his ki, she doubted that her father had defeated Cell.

All these years... she had believed all Cell's abilities were simply light tricks because her father had said so. Now she knew he was lying. She didn't know who had actually beaten Cell, but it had to have been one of the people at Gohan's dojo.

After learning the truth, Videl watched the Cell Games tape in her father's video collection. She immediately recognized Yamcha, Krillin, and Tien. She didn't see Gohan there, but she also didn't recognize several of the people. One of them oddly reminded her of the World Champion prior to her father, though. He reminded her of Gohan, even though the two looked nothing alike. The man she had seen was blonde and his irises shimmered in a deep and fierce shade of teal, but that stare that he had in his eyes reminded Videl of her Sensei. Those green gems had the same intense and determined gaze in them that the raven-haired girl had seen on Gohan so many times before. And the young boy who was with the man was the exact same story.

Videl was broken out of her thoughts when she heard her front doorbell ring. Horrified, the teenage girl made a beeline for her bedroom door. She really needed to intercept Gohan. If her father greeted him first, all sorts of hell would go down.

Swinging her body around the corner, the teen froze. There was Gohan standing in her doorway, adorning a sheepish expression. Her father turned to look at her, silently questioning her with an intrigued expression upon his face.

After she didn't speak up for a few seconds, her father decided to vocalize his thoughts.

"Videl, who is this?" Videl wasn't sure if her father knew who Gohan was and was just pretending not to, but she did recognize that he was ready to blow his top.

"Er, this is Gohan. He is one of the Sensei's at the new dojo, which actually burned down last night... I don't know if you saw. Anyways, we're going to continue my training today." Videl didn't notice her father's face momentarily go pale at the mention of the fire, luckily for the faux World Champion.

"So, is he your boyfriend?" Mr. Satan's voice was laced with contempt. It was clear that such a possibility was both perceived to be very real and very forbidden.

"No!" Videl yelled hurriedly, the blood in her body rushing to her face. The embarassed teen willed herself to not blush lest Gohan see, but her body wouldn't obey her thoughts. She could see Gohan raise an eyebrow at her blushing face, however he didn't seem to pay much mind to it.

"He's just my Sensei, dad. Stop being so annoying!" Turning to Gohan, she added, "Shall we go now?"

"Hold on a minute! I'm not letting you go anywhere with this guy, Videl! Especially not alone. I know how the teenage mind works! He's a boy!" Hercule crossed both of his arms in protest.

Videl decided that trying to peacefully convince her father wasn't going to cut it. She angrily stomped over to Gohan, completely ignoring her father's attempts to stop her. When she reached her Sensei the girl spun a full 180 and interlocked her arm with Gohan's.

"Let's go, Gohan." Videl addressed her Sensei, trying her best not to blush again as she felt the detail of the boy... man's muscular arm. "My dad clearly doesn't feel like behaving like a civil person today, so we might as well leave."

Videl tried to drag Gohan along with her but the other teenager didn't budge. The spawn of Satan looked at her teacher desperately, clearly unhappy with the current situation.

"Wait just one minute, Videl," Gohan smirked as he turned to look at Hercule. "I want to ask your father some questions."

A dark and gloomy silence fell over the Satan household. Videl didn't even have the courage to breathe as Gohan took a few steps toward the man who had been lying to her for most of her life. The situation was so tense that Videl began to worry that Gohan would lunge at her father any second. Instead, a smile curled around the Son boy's lips as he made a polite bow.

"It seems that you don't want Videl to accompany to my house," Gohan spoke, confidence clear in his voice. "Is that because I happen to be a boy, or because I'm her Sensei?"

The World Champion had nothing to say to that.

"Just as I thought," Gohan said as he turned around in his spot. "Too afraid to admit that you don't want your daughter to train with someone superior to you."

Videl stood frozen in place as she observed Gohan turn away from the conversation. Her father was starting to tremble and a vein in his temple was pulsing violently. She did not like where this was going.

"Hey, hold up there!" Hercule's shouts echoed through the Satan mansion. Gohan to glanced over his shoulder, curious.

"If you want to go anywhere with my little girl, you'll have to go through me!" the World Champion continued. "Do you really think that you can beat me? Go ahead and prove it!"

The next thing Videl saw was her father charging at Gohan with what he probably considered the speed of light. She sighed heavily as he launched himself at Gohan, fists ready to strike.

Dumbass. If he got hurt, it was his own fault.

A split second later Hercule found himself pinned to the wall, a very annoyed Gohan lifting him off the ground by his collar.

"Now, why is it so hard to get the message across?" Gohan sighed. "Videl doesn't want to train under your dojo anymore, she found an alternative. That's understandable, of course. Who would want to train at a dojo where they teach you to attack when your opponent's back is turned?"

Hercule couldn't muster up the nerve to reply. All that escaped were a few frightened whimpers.

"Just as I thought." Gohan answered for the World Champion. The teenager let go of the man's shirt, showing absolutely no sympathy as Hercule fell to the floor with a thud. Without acknowledging the man's presence any further, he walked away and gestured for Videl to follow.

It took the cerulean-eyed girl a few seconds to return to reality as she processed the scene that had just unfolded. Her dad had gotten what was coming to him, that was for sure. What had surprised her was the confidence Gohan had exuded throughout the entire ordeal; the way that he casually threatened her father, the way his lips curled into a smirk... Videl couldn't take her eyes off of him. In a trance-like manner, the raven-haired girl followed obediently.

Once they got a fair distance away from the fallen so-called World Champion, Gohan stopped and turned around. He beckoned for Videl to stand adjacent to him. Her Sensei then politely waited for his foe to rise. Hercule looked positively stunned; he clearly had no idea what had just happened. "I'll be taking Videl to meet my mother and brother," Gohan added. Videl rammed her palm into her forehead with so much force that she nearly gave herself a concussion.

"Are you trying to provoke him?" she hissed under her breath, just loud enough for Gohan to hear. "I'm the one who's going to have to come back here at the end of the day..."

He flashed her a knowing smile. "I'll have her back by nine o'clock." He faced Hercule, before turning back towards her and offering her his arm.

Videl watched her father turn pink, then red, then a fascinating shade of purple. "Get out of my house," he ordered the younger man, clearly intent on getting the rival Sensei as far away from his daughter as possible.

"Gladly." Gohan smiled widely, steering Videl straight out the front door and closing it behind them.

Videl ran after Gohan as the teenage Sensei walked out of the Satan mansion. She couldn't believe what had just happened! Gohan had simply walked into her house against her father's wishes and had told Videl to come with him. Videl had already expected her father to go berserk, but she had never anticipated Gohan to handle the entire situation so suavely.

"Gohan, wait up!" Videl shouted to her teacher, who made a quick right and disappeared out of her view momentarily. The girl sprinted around the corner and nearly slammed into Gohan. He was standing still just around the corner, eyeing their surroundings.

"Seems like a good spot," Gohan muttered, "Come on, Videl, let's go."

"But I'm not able to fly yet!" Videl protested with a pout of her lower lip.

Gohan gave an amused chuckle. "I know, I know," the teenage Sensei laughed. "I guess that means that you'll just have to hold on tight."

Videl found Gohan's sudden change of mood a little strange and raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell is that suppo-"

The raven-haired girl's sentence turned into a surprised shriek as Gohan scooped her up, bridal-style, and held her securely next to his chest. Videl felt the blood rush to her cheeks at the speed of light. She desperately tried to hide her her blushing face with her hair, but it was futile. Gohan bolted into the air like a bottle rocket, blowing her hair in every possible direction.

Videl impulsively buried her face in Gohan's shirt as he carried her through the sky. After a few moments, she gathered up the courage to look down. The ground raced past them, buildings as small as ants.

Suddenly feeling a little dizzy, the teen clutched tightly onto her Sensei for security, blushing'- for the hundredth time that day - as she did had never been afraid of heights before, but she could feel that rapidly changing.

'Damn, we're up high!' Videl thought to herself. 'Just looking down at the ground makes me nauseous... Let's just hope Gohan knows what he is doing... He wouldn't let me fall while he is holding me with these big, strong, ripped, amazing arms...'

Videl felt like slapping herself silly for thinking such thoughts. But still... she couldn't help but feel blown away by the craziness of the situation... here she was, a few thousand feet high in the sky, being carried by a flying man. It was almost like something out of a fairy tale... the way Gohan held her against his chiseled and toned chest, protecting her with those strong arms of his, made her feel so safe and secure. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Videl buried her face in Gohan's chest just a tad more and looked up when she heard a giggle.

"Looks like you're a bit afraid of heights," Gohan chuckled. "Don't worry, I promise I won't let you fall. You're safe with me." The demi-Saiyan flashed a warm smile that made Videl's insides melt.

"We'll be there pretty soon if we keep this pace up," Gohan notified Videl as he increased his speed just a bit more. Videl clung onto him for dear life, secretly hoping that the flight would take another hour or three.

...

It didn't take long for the flight to come to its end, much to Videl's disappointment. If it had been up to her the two of them would've circled around in the skies for several more hours. As the girl and her Sensei touched ground, Videl had to try her hardest not to pout. Her disappointment increased tenfold when Gohan released her from his protecting embrace, forcing her to stand on her own feet.

"I know that it's nothing big," Gohan said as he took a step away from his student, "but hey, it's home!"

Videl looked past the boy and a small dome-shaped house caught her eye. Somewhat dumbfounded, the girl pursued her teacher as he walked in the direction of the tiny little building. Gohan hadn't been joking, people actually lived like this in the middle of nowhere. She took a deep breath and immediately felt the peaceful atmosphere wash over her. She could certainly understand why Gohan would want to live here; the peace and serenity of the area calmed Videl's senses and cleared her head. It was the exact opposite of the busy streets of Satan City.

The boy walked up to the front door and opened it, gesturing for Videl to step inside.

"After you, miss," he whispered into her ear, causing Videl to giggle uncharacteristically. Apparently chivalry still existed.

Videl had barely taken two steps inside the house when a mouth-watering scent assaulted her sensitive nostrils. The clattering sounds of pots and pans could be heard from a different room which Videl could only assume was the kitchen. Inevitably, her stomach began to rumble. Flying had really taken it out of her... even if all she had done was cling onto Gohan as he soared through the air at amazing heights.

Videl heard Gohan laughing behind her. She soon found him standing beside her, one of his big, strong hands gripping her shoulder. The Satan girl blushed slightly when she re-lived the sensation of being held in mid-air, Gohan's powerful arms wrapped around her like an impenetrable shield.

"Sounds like someone has the munchies!" Gohan joked. The martial artist was clearly far more relaxed and comfortable within the confines of his maternal home. He seemed less on edge, as if the tiny little structure they were standing in provided the ultimate protection.

"Why don't you follow me into the kitchen?" Gohan suggested as he pointed towards a door on the right. "I can introduce you to my mother and get you something to eat as well."

Kicking off her shoes, Videl followed Gohan as he made his way to the kitchen. She saw her sensei reaching for the doorknob, only to observe him lying on the ground several seconds later. Sitting on top of her Sensei was a little boy, probably no older than seven years old. The kid resembled Gohan in more than one way, leaving Videl to assume that this was his sibling

"Big brother!" the little boy cheered happily as he locked Gohan in one of the most deadly embraces Videl had ever seen. Gohan simply laughed as he pushed his brother off of his chest.

"Hiya Goten!" he chimed in return. "Did you have a fun day?"

"Yes!" Goten squealed in reply. The boy bounced up and down and looked like he was about to explode as he retold the adventures of the day. "Trunks and I were out in the woods playing tag and a really big bear got really angry with us! We made a run for it and luck-"

The child fell silent as his gaze fell on the stranger standing in the middle of the room. His big onyx eyes scanned her features, irises twinkling in curiosity.

"Big brother, who's that girl?" Goten queried, small fingers pointing towards Videl.

Gohan rose back to his feet and gave a chuckle. "This, Goten," he answered with a nudge of his head in Videl's direction, "is Videl Satan. I thought I told you about her. Go and say hi; she won't bite!"

Videl took a step over in the kid's direction, causing him to take cover behind his big brother, his tiny hands clutching the fabric of Gohan's pants.

"Hi Goten," Videl spoke carefully to not frighten the boy. "My name's Videl, I guess that Gohan is your big brother?"

"Yes, he is!" a feminine voice rang from the kitchen. The door swung open and a young woman stepped into the hall. Small crow's feet were starting to form by her youthful eyes. By the way her attire betrayed her fighting history, Videl could only assume that this woman was Gohan's mother.

"And I'm his mother Chi-Chi," the woman said, introducing herself. "And I assume that you're the Videl that Gohan's told me so much about!"

Chi-Chi ignored Videl's reddening cheeks and turned to her two sons.

"So, who wants to have lunch?"

Never before had Videl seen anybody get so excited over lunch. As she observed Gohan and Goten stuff their mouths with food she pondered whether she should ask Gohan what their training would entail, but she decided to let him stuff his black hole of a stomach, first. The word 'Ki' would probably be the only thing that she would've understood anyway. She managed to grab a half-sandwich before the two brothers consumed everything, sighing heavily.

Gohan leaned back in his chair and let out a hearty belch and chuckled slightly as Goten imitated him. Their mother shot a scathing look in their direction. The older Son boy promptly sat properly and muttered apologies for his rude behavior.

Videl politely finished her sandwich, daintily wiping her mouth with a napkin. For some reason, that seemed to have amused Gohan. "I hope you're not going to be that prissy while we're training," he teased as he stuck out his tongue playfully. "Come on, let's go outside."

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: This chapter was brought to you by DarkVoid116, Kalebxdd, RaiynetheHedgehog, and Kanotari.<strong>


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Team Dragon Star does not own Dragonball Z.**

...

"Close your eyes," the Sensei ordered, his student obeying without hesitation. "Now do what we practiced and follow my Ki signature."

Videl kept her eyes tightly shut as she focused as hard as she possibly could to pinpoint Gohan's location. The training that she and the black-haired teenager had been doing for the past few weeks was really starting to pay off now. She was now able to levitate in the air for several seconds without falling to the ground in fatigue and her Ki sensing abilities had taken a turn for the better as well. Now, she was able to sense the Ki signals of people she knew within at least a mile radius.

After clearing her mind of all distracting thoughts, she could feel something that she could only describe as a warm and welcoming glow. Gohan's Ki felt relaxed and steady, that happy twinkle that Videl always saw in his eyes was somewhat tangible in the fluctuation of his energy.

"Keep your focus locked on my Ki," Gohan repeated as he slowly started walking in a big circle around her. She did as she was told and could feel her teacher's presence slowly circling around her, the soft sound of his bare feet gently stepping on the damp grass confirming her suspicions. Videl, terrified that she might screw up some part of the training, didn't open her eyes although she could almost swear that a smile lit up her Sensei's face.

"You can follow my Ki signal as I travel around you...'' Gohan observed, speaking in his typical hushed tone of voice. "And you can can feel my energy as I walk away and you can sense me as I draw close."

The girl gave a slow, silent nod in reply, even though she wasn't entirely sure that it was a question. True, she could follow Gohan wherever he went. She could feel the warm glow of his energy fade slightly as he took a few steps back and could almost sense the teenager's Ki on her skin with every new step he took in her direction.

Since Videl had started her training under the dojo run by a group of the best martial artists that she had ever known, everything around her felt completely different and new... almost as if she were a newborn trying to get familiarized with life. Her Ki training was more than a way to sense her opponent everywhere he went; her other senses had been enhanced greatly as well. As she perked her ears she could hear everything around her. Everything.

Her ears picked up a flock of birds ascending to the skies from a tree, a squirrel squeaking softly as he gathered his food for the day, a stray bee buzzing happily as he pollinated a beautiful flower, and even Gohan breathing, deep and rhythmically, as he stood several yards away from her.

Aromas waving through the air caught Videl's attention as she inhaled. The scent of lilies and daffodils around her was intoxicating and the smell of Chi-Chi preparing dinner from the small house just out of sight made her stomach rumble.

The flowing energy she felt made truly her feel one with nature. If Ki training was really this incredible then she would soon be able to defeat her brother at long last. With her ability to feel the presence of a lifeform without even seeing them in combination with her enhanced senses, she felt nearly untouchable. Her physical training with Gohan had paid off as well, she had gained a lot more stamina; her speed and strength had also gone through the roof; and she could use the boost it gave to her self-esteem as well.

Her newfound hearing senses picked up on the sound of Gohan's voice. The girl still had her eyes closed as she listened to her Sensei's rather excited voice.

"Okay, prove it," Gohan smirked slightly, happy to see the growth in his student's confidence. "Where am I... now?" he queried as he sped off with the speed of light.

Videl locked on to Gohan's energy signature and followed it around, smiling confidently. It was easy to keep track of the demi-Saiyan as he moved, even though he was racing at breakneck speeds. She smirked as she visualised his toned outline as she felt it leap into the air and come to a stop.

"Up in... that tree," the crimefighter replied as she pointed a slender finger without opening her eyes. And indeed, she was pointing directly at her teacher lounging on a branch up in a random tree. The young man laughed, overjoyed with his personal trainee's growth in her Ki sensing skills. He casually jumped the last fifty feet down to the ground and landed with a touch of grace.

''You can open your eyes now,'' Gohan spoke as he walked to halt in front of the raven-haired teen. Videl did as she was told and opened her eyes with a bat of her lashes, pleased that what she saw matched the image she had created in her mind. She was surrounded by a sprawling maze of trees. Big sturdy oaks stood tall amongst their blooming brethren, though the green plains that surrounded Gohan's house were almost completely out of sight.

"I'm very pleased with the growth I've seen in you since we first started training," the young teacher complimented as his eyes met hers. The short yet awkward silence that fell between the two had a little spark to it, causing both teenagers to turn their heads to hide the slight tint of pink creeping over their cheeks.

''Anyway," the young man said when he felt his cheeks were cool enough to turn back towards to his pupil again. "Now that you know how to sense and manifest your Ki, I think you're ready for the next step in our training.''

Videl wasn't so sure about that. It was true that she had been able to bring some of her Ki outside of her body, but it had only been a weak shimmer. She was barely even able to fly yet, and she wouldn't even call it flying... more like tenuous hovering. Still, she was highly curious as to what the new aspect of their training would be like. The Ki sensing training had surely paid off and the results were absolutely exhilarating. Wanting to push her boundaries even further, the sweet taste of success nearly lingering on her lips, she gave a content smile. She was ready for anything Gohan could throw at her.

''And what would that new step in our training entail, Sensei?'' Videl chuckled, imitating her teacher's style of speech, with a polite bow.

Gohan notified Videl that he wanted to continue their training in the big open plains around his house. The Satan girl had arched a brow in curiosity before following her Sensei as he whistled a cheerful and summerly tune. The Saiyan teen halted in the middle of the sea of grass and the crimefighter folded her arms in front of her chest as she waited for an explanation. Seeing his student's growing impatience Gohan smirked in amusement before he began his instruction.

"You might want to warm up before we begin, Videl,'' Gohan said. The black-haired martial artist continued when he saw the quizzical look on the other teenager's face. ''This part of the training will require some endurance, so it would be a good idea to do some stretching first.''

Videl began windmilling her arms, albeit hesitantly, and after a few minutes of swinging her limbs around, she felt that her muscles had been thoroughly warmed up. She was ready for action, and so was Gohan, who nudged for the girl's attention. He cleared his throat before he spoke.

"I want you to remember our lesson by the creek,'' the Saiyan ordered. As he saw the girl focus to relive those moments, he continued his explanation. "Remember how I punched my entire forearm into the dirt? As far as I can recall you simply sat there with an astonished look on your face." The teenaged instructor suppressed a chuckle at the memory. "I referred to that form of Ki use as Ki charging?"

Videl nodded in reply. She could fondly remember how dumbfounded she had been to see Gohan bury his forearms in the debris instead of hearing the sickening crunch of bones breaking. Recalling the tremendous speed and force with which he had done it, a small feeling of excitement began to grow in her chest... the mere thought of being able to punch through brick walls as though they were made of paper made her too eager to sit still.

"Okay. Keeping that in mind, I have another question for you," Gohan said, arching an eyebrow in curiosity. "You've had training in Ki-sensing for quite a while now. During those on-going sessions, your senses have become stronger. Correct me if I'm wrong, but during those training sessions you've eventually started to feel your own Ki flowing throughout your entire body, right?"

"Yeah,'' Videl replied. "At first it was only some weird, vague glow that I could feel inside my core but now I can feel it flowing through me... sort of like small rivers of energy."

Her Sensei smiled at her. "Good, that means that you've been keeping up with your training. That also means that we can go a step further in practice. Now I want you to try something out...''

Videl gave him a questioning look. She understood bits and pieces of what he was saying, but she didn't get the full picture, almost as if it was a puzzle that she couldn't fit the pieces into correctly.

"For our flying lessons I instructed you to push your Ki outside of your body, but now what we want to is keep it inside your body and use it to strengthen your physical attacks. Now given this information, how would you suppose we gain such power?"

It took several moments for the gears in the Videl's head to start turning properly. Pushing her Ki outside of her body meant that she would be able to move her energy according to her will. And if her energy could enable her to actually fly, it could certainly give her the strength to beat the living daylights out of anyone she pleased. Maybe she could gather power in her limbs and release it on impact.

"I could..." the girl slightly hesitated, biting her lower lip in thought. "Charge my Ki into my fists or my legs and make my kicks and punches much more powerful?"

A nod was her reply. "You can gather Ki in for example your arm and use that Ki to amplify your strength several dozen times. Given how much your Ki level has risen over the past few weeks, I assume that with a proper Ki charge you would be able to multiply your strength by at least thirty times."

The look of disbelief on Videl's face was almost hilarious. "Are you kidding me?" she queried. She somehow got the feeling that he was pulling a prank on her.

"Quite the contrary," her teacher laughed. "Give it a try and see for yourself, try to gather a good amount of Ki to your legs. If you do it correctly, you should start to feel a tingling sensation; that's the feeling of the excessive energy that is now stored in your legs that wants to get out. Your legs will have too much energy in them to stay still, and the urge to use them will become unbearable. As you try this I want you to guide me through your process."

Videl swallowed once and then focused, quickly feeling the steady flow of the Ki coursing through her body. She focused her energy towards her legs, remembering how she had moved her energy as she managed to levitate for the first time. Slowly but surely they started to tingle.

"Okay," the girl said turning to her teacher. "I can feel the Ki tingling in my legs now. What do I do next?''

"Keep gathering energy in your legs until you can't resist the urge to move any longer. When you can feel that drawing near inform me.'' The answer was short and simple. Videl followed her Sensei's instructions without hesitation now. She kept steering Ki towards her legs for several moments longer. The tingling sensation kept increasing in intensity and it seemed to become more impossible to keep her legs still with every second that passed.

"I'm getting really antsy," Videl told Gohan. Her legs were trembling and it felt as though her feet would fall off if she didn't move them around immediately. The demi-Saiyan's reply to this was even shorter and even more simple than the previous one. It was one word but Videl barely hesitated to act.

"Jump."

Videl only hesitated for a split second. Even though she was one of the world's leading martial artists, she never had been that much of an athlete. If she really tried her best, she could jump about six to seven feet high. Would Ki charging really make her jump at least thirty times higher? Figuring that the only way to find out was by trying, she forced all of the power in her legs into a mighty jump.

Instead of going the seven or the rare occasional eight feet eight feet into the air, she rocketed off into the skies with tremendous speed. In the space of a second, she ascended above the treetops, pausing for a moment at the top of her arc, then falling back to the Earth. On her way back down, she caught hold of a tree branch, stopping her from cascading down towards the ground below.

Videl had to exhale deeply as she came to a halt. She definitely didn't expect to jump up that high. She knew that her physical training with Gohan had made her stronger, so she had assumed that she could possibly leap an extra foot into the air. But now here she was, hanging from a branch in a random tree top, and all of that because of one 'little' jump.

She let go of the branch and let herself fall down to the earth below, using other branches within her reach to decrease her speed. Seconds later she had her foot firmly on solid ground again. Still a bit shaky from the sudden outburst of energy, Videl walked over to Gohan and paused a few feet in front of him.

The Sensei couldn't help but chuckle lightly as he saw the girl's dazed state. "Real cute...'' he joked.

"Cute?" she asked incredulously. "That was more than cute. I was incredible."

The Satan girl was now bouncing in excitement again; the slight fatigue that her jump moments earlier had caused, now gone. Glancing up towards her teacher, Videl awaited his next command as she tried to wrap her mind around the feat that she she had just accomplished.

"With that experience fresh in your mind... run." She gave him a quizzical look, causing him to explain further. "Run. Just like I said it, it's as simple as that. Do what you did when you jumped with the use of your Ki. Except this time, try putting that excess energy towards running instead of jumping."

The smirk that grew over her teacher's face as he spoke those words was all the confirmation that Videl needed. Focusing her Ki faster than ever before, she quickly started charging energy into her legs. Much to her pleasant surprise, she was able to collect her energy much faster than she had been before. It took her only about three seconds before her legs were itching to move and a simultaneous smile curled around her lips, just before she dashed off.

Videl was sprinting over the grassy field with tremendous speed, amazed at herself. She wouldn't be surprised if she was going at least as fast as a top-of-the-line race car. The wind on her skin was of no bother; the adrenaline coursing through her body made sure that the only thing that the crimefighter could feel was the invigorating thrill of superhuman speed. Somehow, she managed to turn around and found herself bolting back to Gohan in what seemed like a millisecond.

"...And?'' he questioned when he saw her face as she came to a stop, an expression of pure awesomeness nearly engraved onto her features.

The girl exhaled deeply and relaxed her body. The same smirk that Gohan had shown seconds earlier now spread over her face. "It was pretty cool, I suppose," she tried to say it with a level of aloofness, but Videl knew herself and thought she had probably come across really awkward.

"Well then," the demi-Saiyan announced. "This concludes that part of our work-out for today. I think that you are ready for the final part of today's training."

* * *

><p>A soft click echoed down the hallway as Mark turned his key in the front door. The bolt slid aside, allowing the gigantic piece of wood to swing open and let him into his home. Mark quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind him, locking it right away as softly as he could manage.<p>

With a deep sigh, the teenager threw his coat off by the main entrance. One of his father's employees would make certain that it would be put away properly and frankly the boy was too tired to do it himself.

Mark's brow furrowed once his eyes had adjusted to the lighting in the mansion. The first oddity he noticed was the incredible silence in the dimly lit main hall. Normally some of the workers would be up and about at this hour, but on this particular evening there was not a single maid doing chores and not a single butler being ordered around by his father's loud mouth.

The day hadn't already been all sunshine and rainbows for the teenager, though. Training had been extremely tough; Yamcha had decided to test both his and Sharpener's strength by having them hurl around gigantic boulders. At the end of the day Mark felt like his arms could fall of any second, and he was so dead-beat tired that he wasn't entirely sure if he would even make it back home. And after a tiresome day like that he couldn't help but be a little suspicious after arriving in a deserted mansion.

The young martial artist slowly started walking forward through the main hall, stopping momentarily before the spiral staircase. He turned his head from side to side, checking once more if there really weren't any of his father's workers around. Finding there were no signs of life, he started walking up the spiral staircase, somewhat confused by the odd sight.

The wood below his feet squeaked loudly as he slowly ascended to the next floor, each step accompanied by a loud croak of protest from the stairs supporting his weight. In the rest of the mansion, however, the silence was nearly deafening and Mark couldn't help but feel a little creeped out.

The Satan boy climbed the last few steps of the staircase with breath held. As soon as he had reached the top, he exhaled deeply, almost as if he was glad the trip was over. Eyeing his surroundings once more he found nothing out of the ordinary on the gigantic wing to his left aside from the absence of employees. Looking to his right, Mark noticed a bundle of weak light coming from a room down the hall, causing his eyebrows to knit together. If he remembered correctly that was his father's room for lazily lounging around. Was his dad the only one home in the manor?

Step by step Mark trotted over to his father's lounge, trying his best not to make any sounds in the process. The boy had no idea why he was sneaking around like this, but somehow he felt like it was for the best. He felt like there was something bad about to ensue and he was certain that his father had something to do with it.

Now the problem was that the teenager's room resided on the end of the very same hall. Mark knew that the chance was slim that he would manage to sneak past his father; even if he passed unseen, the old floorboards would probably give away his presence. The teenager knew that there was no other choice than to confront his father. Hercule hadn't exactly been in a happy mood since both his he and his sister had gone out to train with masters from the Son Dojo, even though the dojo itself had been burned down to the ground. And though Mark was now probably strong enough to beat his dad with one hand tied behind his back, he was still somewhat fearful of what his father would say to him. He was still the man's son after all.

Sighing deeply, the boy walked over to the source of the light and halted in the doorway. Hercule had taken a comfortable position in one of the room's armchairs, a glass of whiskey resting in his hands. The man had his face buried in a newspaper, a set of candles throughout the room being the only source of light for him to read the printing. From the looks of it the Champion had been waiting for his children to return.

Mark knocked on the doorframe and cleared his throat. He noticed his father stir behind his newspaper.

"Dad, I'm home," the boy spoke in a hush tone of voice. A grunt escaped the man in the armchair. He slowly began folding up his newspaper, enabling his son to see his trademarked afro hairstyle and his cheesy black moustache. Hercule's eyes stood dead serious as he put the newspaper aside.

"Come sit with me," the older martial artist spoke as he gestured to an empty armchair by his side. "I want to talk to you."

Mark gulped as he walked into the room. His father gave him a suspicious stare as he sat down in the comfortable cushions. Unfortunately even the luxury velour wasn't able to keep his anxiety away.

"So..." the kid pondered whether he should finish his sentence. "Wh-what is it you wanted to talk to me about, dad?" he eventually asked.

"Oh, nothing much," Hercule replied. Mark knew his father was lying just from the look in his eyes. In those orbs surrounded by crow's feet the teenager was able to see the very same glint that he always saw in his sister's eyes whenever she told him a lie. It was a hereditary thing and frankly Mark couldn't help but be a bit frightened about his father's true intentions.

"I just want to have a nice father to son talk, is all.''

A momentary silence fell between father and son. The younger man felt his discomfort grow with each passing second. His father simply sat there, his face only half illuminated by the candlelight, the ice cubes in his scotch tingling softly as he rocked the glass from side to side.

"How was training today?" Hercule eventually queried. "You seem tired, so I guess they gave you quite the workout.'' The man gave a chuckle and scratched the area above his lip.

The teen martial artist's brow furrowed. Since when was his dad so interested in his training regime? Just this morning, he had been fuming that his children were running off to train with his rivals and now he was acting like he actually cared.

"Pretty well, I suppose," Mark answered with hesitation clear in his voice. He eyed his father with suspicion. "And yes, it was pretty tiring. I was already planning on hitting the hay after I got home." The boy hoped that his poor excuse would be enough to get him out of the situation.

"Well, just stay here for a few more minutes," Hercule spoke right before he took drank his glass of scotch empty in one big gulp. The Champion groaned a bit as the liquor passed his throat. The man put the empty glass aside and brought his hands together, his fingers interlacing . "Like I said, I have some thing I'd like to talk to you about."

Hercule sighed and placed his index fingers on his lower lips, as he always did when he had to think deeply. As the words finally came to him he poured himself another glass of scotch before speaking.

"How is your sister doing with her training?" Hercule asked as he arched a brow. "With that Gohan boy?"

Mark avoided his father's prying stare. "Fine, I guess. I haven't talked to her much, but from what I've heard she's doing pretty well."

The older man took a sip of the amber liquid and nodded his head in understanding. "Okay. But can you tell me some more about this Gohan kid? Are he and Videl dating behind my back?" His voice was starting to grow louder and Mark could see a vein in his temple starting to swell. He knew that his father could blow a fuse any minute now, and as far as he knew there was no way to stop it.

"N-not that I know of," the boy stuttered as he watched his dad's rage unfold. "Why would you worry over such a thing anyway?" He even tried to sweet talk the situation. It was to no avail but there was never any harm in trying.

"Because,'' Hercule grunted. "I will _not_have my teenage daughter around some hormone-driven boy, certainly not if that same boy is also one of the ones putting me out of business!" He slammed his glass on the table to his right with such force that the glass cracked and liquor flew high into the air. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Hercule brought his hands back together, his fingers interlacing once more.

"But you are going to help me out,'" the man stated once he had calmed down a bit. He went into further detail upon seeing the quizzical look on his son's face.

"You are going to spy on Videl and Gohan for me and you do whatever it takes to get the two of them apart. And I won't take no for an answer."

Mark's mouth fell agape. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, that his father would stoop so low!

"Well, too bad but I'm not going to spy on anyone!" Mark protested as he jumped up. His father barely even stirred as his son started yelling at him. "Those two are working on a training that exceeds yours in every way possible! You just can't handle that and now you want your daughter to come crawling back to you on all fours. Well I won't be a part of it, you hear me?"

Much to his surprise his father responded the exact opposite of how he expected. A laugh escaped the older man as his eyes met those of his son.

"Sure you will," Hercule replied with a chuckle of amusement. "The reward is just as great for you as it is to me."

This caught Mark off guard caused him to lift a brow. "And what could you possibly give me that would convince me to sabotage my little sister?"

A smile curled around Hercule's lips when he noticed the small ring of curiosity in his son's voice.

"If you end all of Videl's relations with that boy Gohan, I will make you the full heir to the Satan estate."

...

**Author's Notes: This chapter was brought to you by Kalebxdd and Kanotari.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: Team Dragon Star does not own DBZ.**

Videl nervously gulped down the glass of water in her hand. Her training was going well, sure, but her body ached all over. Her muscles were sore and stiff, just a mere hour or two after their little Ki practice... it almost felt as though she had just gone through a rigorous ten-hour training exercise.

Looking around, she discovered two heads buried in various bowls of food, completely oblivious to the world around them. Glancing at her own bowl of noodles, which was still half-full, she sighed exasperatedly. She'd already been through a bowl and while she was more than content to leave it at that, Chichi had convinced her to have a second one; she used the argument that between all that training she must have worked up an appetite. Truth be told, she wasn't that hungry, but she agreed so as to look polite.

However, she was regretting that decision now. While the food was delicious, it didn't make any more room for itself inside her stomach, and she found herself slowly picking at pieces of it.

The loud cluttering of a few plates sent her eyes springing up in curiosity, as she saw Goten looking up. The young boy had seemingly licked his plates clean of all its contents, leaving it as if it just came out of the dishwasher.

"More please!" Goten said, raising a single bowl to emphasize his point... honestly, she'd never get used to the bottomless pit that was the small child.

Looking back towards her food, she used her fork to grab a few strands of noodles and eat them, while she noted that they were now cold.

"Eat up." She looked up slightly to see her Sensei grinning encouragingly towards her. "You'll need the energy it provides, after all."

"I'm not that hungry though..." she muttered incoherently. "Besides, it's not like we're going to be doing all that much anyway."

"Nonsense!" he said, laughing dismissively. "You've just only learnt how to use Ki; for starters, we need to make sure that you can fly correctly. As of this moment you won't be going anywhere far any time soon."

"B-but I can... float... now. Don't I just need to like practice it a little more, until I get it?" She asked curiously, arching an eyebrow inquisitively. That's how most things worked; the hard part was always laying the initial foundation, building upon it was the easy part.

"For the most part, but flying can be tricky. We'll probably need to correct a few things here and there, a little bit of posture, the amount of Ki you're exerting and all," he said, slurping up the remnants of another bowl of noodles.

"Oh..." Well in reality, she'd already known that she was a long way away from mastering flying, so it wasn't that much of a surprise. "I guess flying's not as easy as the storybooks make-"

"Hey!" Goten interrupted, looking up from the food that he was stuffing himself full of. "You promised me that you'd teach me how to fly!"

Videl looked on quietly, glancing between the pair of brothers as Goten pointed an accusing finger at Gohan. Her face softened slightly as she looked at the 'serious' look on the child's face... he was a pretty cute seven year old.

"Well... I guess I did, squirt," Gohan said thoughtfully as he tapped his chin with a finger. "Say, why don't you join Videl and I tomorrow? You've got a pretty good handle on your Ki, so it shouldn't take you too long to get it."

Videl wasn't sure if that was a jab towards her, given the fact that Gohan was telling a seven year old that 'it wouldn't take him too long to get it.' It had taken herself more than a few weeks of training at high intensities almost every day to progress somewhat decently with her Ki, and from the way that her Sensei spoke; he expected Goten to learn how to fly in a day.

The young boy's cheer of happiness didn't go unnoticed by a now-suddenly less than enthusiastic Videl.

Mark frowned as he walked towards the mansion's private gym. While the halls of the house were considerably more lively than they had been yesterday, the servants suddenly quieted as he passed them, weary of the soon-to-be heir.

It wasn't that they knew of that last bit though, he knew that his father would keep quiet about their little agreement. If his father made an announcement or something of the kind, Mark could just as easily opt out of their little deal. With such a bold statement made, it would be hard for Hercule to remove him from his position as the future heir lest the World Champion suffer severe ridicule and embarrassment from those around him.

Mark's conscience was gnawing away at him for accepting his father's 'offer.' The relationship between his sister and himself had always been a delicate thing; while they weren't as close as other siblings that he knew, there was a certain degree of trust between them. Though they often fought or found themselves at each other's throats, they didn't dislike each other... they had more of a mutual respect for one another.

While he wasn't exactly the most honest of people, knowing that he was likely violating the trust that they'd developed made him feel a little guilty. Manipulating someone, especially his sister, didn't feel completely right. But then again, it didn't feel completely wrong...

Whatever she had with this instructor of hers was her business. He didn't care for her love life, nor would he ever do so. Mark respected her privacy; he didn't play overprotective big brother, and she didn't play tattle-tale little sister when he got into trouble. Though he wasn't exactly sure where his loyalties lied, he knew what he had to do.

With luck, the two of them would just have a student and teacher relationship, and it wouldn't mean all that much to her when it was dispelled. That was probably likely as it was; his father was too damn paranoid about these sorts of things.

Sighing, he pulled himself together. It wasn't the time to worry about such things; first, he needed to piece together everything, then he could start thinking about the consequences.

As he approached the door to the gym, he reached for the expensive door handle before turning it and pushing the door open. Almost immediately the familiar sweat-drenched aroma of their gym overcame Mark's nostrils.

It was the one place in the house that the three residents visited often, apart from perhaps the kitchen. Unlike the kitchen though, butlers, cleaners and maids all stayed away from the gym except for when it was going through its weekly routine cleaning.

Despite having the option to do so, Hercule opted to not flaunt the wealth that he possessed when the gym was designed. The words 'luxury' or 'wealth' were not the first to come to mind when one walked into the gym; it was a large yet simple place.

There were several weights and exercise mechanisms off in the right corner for his father who preferred to weight-lift, while the far-left corner had a matted floor for himself. It was much more comfortable to do push-ups and sit-ups on soft material. A few exercise balls that his father had insisted on purchasing also resided by the matted area, but the front part of the gym was clear. The area was completely empty save for the carpeted floor which was present throughout the gym, making it the perfect space for warm-up routines.

It was also perfect for throwing a jab or two at an imaginary opponent or going through a few suicide drills, but Videl usually occupied the area on the rare occasion that the three of them were in the gym together.

She often used the narrow strip of empty space to simply run, usually at varying speeds. While he understood why she didn't really want to body-build -it didn't always look that attractive on girls- he never really knew why she opted for that area instead of one of the treadmills on the right side of the gym, but then again he never really cared.

As he headed towards the weights, he hesitated slightly before changing course and walking slowly towards the matted area. Yamcha had given them the last few days off, likely because the dojo had burned down and the scar-faced man didn't fancy another expedition so soon, and Mark had spent most of it recuperating from the tiring adventure. Sharpner provided... unexpected... competition and he had found himself struggling to keep up almost every step of the way, much to his irritation.

However during the last thing that they'd done - generating Ki - he'd finally beaten the blonde. And the smug look which he had sent her sister's friend had him swearing revenge with an equally murderous glare as he failed to produce anything of his own. Soon enough, he'd managed to make a pathetic little spark of... Ki... if it could even be called that, but the blonde hadn't managed to best him. There was no doubt in Mark's mind that said blonde had been attempting to hone in on his Ki skills with the time off that they had, if only to best him once more.

It still infuriated him to think that such an idiot had the upper hand for so long; for much of the trip, Mark felt as though he'd been outclassed by someone who he'd long since marked off as a moron.

A small flickering ball of Ki appeared on the tip of Mark's index finger as he lost himself in his thoughts. From his family to himself.

* * *

><p>Videl sighed as she closed the door behind her, exiting the small mountain house which was a sharp contrast to the luxurious mansion she had become accustomed to. Soon after lunch, Gohan had called off the rest of the day's training as he told her to make herself at home - a first since she had arrived at the isolated home.<p>

It wasn't that he'd been unkind to her, or that any of the people who lived there were unwelcoming; they'd been training almost non-stop since he'd flown her over. The food was delicious and more than filling, and she always got a full-night of sleep but everything just seemed so... empty.

Maybe she was feeling a little homesick, or perhaps feeling a bit of regret for the way she'd handled things with her dad; he didn't have the right to rule her life, but at the same time he was her father. While they didn't always get along, she didn't hate him. Perhaps it'd just been in the moment, an urge to see him get his behind handed to him for once. He was obnoxious, so it would be a longshot to say that he didn't have it coming, but then again, was it something he really deserved?

Figuring that it was too late for second thoughts, Videl continued to walk away from the house. There was a little river which Gohan had shown her a little earlier, while they'd been taking a small break from their training, and given how beautiful the night sky was, she wanted to head down there and think for a while.

Nature was a beautiful thing, and she'd learnt as much on their little camping trip a little while ago. It was a shame that she didn't managed to get out more, being as cooped up as she was in the city.

Perhaps amongst the moon's mystical illumination and the glassy river, she'd manage to clear her head a bit. It was still a little unbelievable, how things had suddenly changed. Her understanding of her father... fighting... martial arts... Ki... it'd never be the same.

Between all the flying and burning dojos, she hadn't really gotten much time to herself. The cramped house only had a single bedroom and between a hyperactive seven year old and a teacher about her own age, she was rarely alone with her thoughts for a distinguishable period of time.

It was funny how much this life in the mountains conflicted her own life back in the city; back there the only thing that her brother and dad did _was _leave her alone. It's why she had formed such close bonds with Erasa and, hell, even Sharpner.

She'd almost go as far to say that the two _lives _were polar opposites, but then again that'd be bending the truth a little. The food she had back home wasn't awful after all.

Jumping down a small ledge, Videl approached the small river as it basked in its natural beauty. The water's surface was even smoother than she had remembered it, reflecting the stars and sky above almost like a mirror and the slight chilly breeze that she felt simply added to the effect.

It was pretty amazing, being so close to something so... magical. She'd never been to many natural pools of water, beaches aside, but she made a mental note to seek them out a little more often.

The scent - while not perfect - was alluring enough that it had her enraptured the moment she smelled it, and the gentle trickle of water slowly sliding down the river was more than enough to ease her current pains.

Scuttling closer to the hypnotic stream, she abandoned her socks and shoes and dipped a slender leg into the icy water. A second later, another one joined it, as chills of pleasure raced down Videl's back.

Even though the water wasn't that cold, the girl found herself frozen in fear as she heard a terrifying roar behind her.

* * *

><p>Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he would have never believed it. He knew his son was training with the people over at that new dojo, but he hardly imagined Mark would be able to make those <em>things. <em>Using his well-placed secret recording cameras, Mr. Satan had spied his son conjuring up those abominations in his palm.

It brought back memories of that fateful day - his best and worst day in many ways. It was the day that all of his fame and glory had begun, and yet when the guilt eating away at his conscience had started. He'd lied to the world, to his daughter, and to his son. They knew - maybe not fully, but they knew. Both of his children had met fighters able to do those light tricks and were learning them themselves.

Hercule sighed in exasperation, realizing for the umpteenth time his life was in shambles at this point. Both of his children could theorize very easily that he had lied to the world about everything for seven full years and could use this information to literally ruin his image.

He really hoped his son would pull through for him and keep his end of their deal. The maximum incentive he could offer was a chance to be the full heir to the Satan fortune; if that wasn't enough for his son to dig up dirt on this Gohan character and drive a pitchfork through his daughter's budding romance with her sensei, he didn't know if anything could sway Mark.

Mr. Satan lit a cigar as he sat in his office, attempting to remain calm and collected as the luxurious and glorious life he built up crumbled around him. He really didn't know what to do so he leaned back and relaxed his muscles, opting to forget the situation he was currently knee deep in.

The burly man's foot reverberated up and down as his nerves coursed throughout his body. He drummed his fingers on the table, his mind deep in thought. He needed a way to blackmail his son into thinking these teachings were blasphemous otherwise he was in deep shit.

Sighing again, Hercule banged his forehead against the table tiredly.

He thought through his options again, formulating a rough plan in his head.

**Author's Notes: This chapter was brought to you by Kakarot Son, DarkVoid116 and Ri696q.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Team Dragon Star does not own Dragonball.**

Videl turned around, shaken by the primal roar which had erupted from behind her. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what it was-no, get away from whatever it was. If it was an animal, too fast meant that the animal would slaughter her without a second thought, too slow and she'd be its new chew toy.

Glancing at the glassy sea while keeping an eye out for motion with her peripheral vision, Videl noted that she couldn't see from what the sound was coming from. She briefly considered winging it-literally, but she wasn't sure if her flying was up to scratch.

As filling as dinner had been, she was completely and utterly exhausted. Her body felt about as useless as a twig. Videl wasn't sure if she wanted to chance summoning her Ki and waste time... time which she didn't have.

Speaking of twigs, she was horrified to hear several of them snapping, accompanied by heavy footsteps, and low growling if she listened hard enough. While she was a city girl, she'd done enough studying of the outdoors to get a rough idea of what was coming for her.

The roar itself had told her that it was no fluffy bunny, it was likely a wolf... or did they howl? Realising she didn't have anymore time to waste thinking about _what_ it was-it was dangerous, end of story-she lifted a leg upon ledge for balance.

Carefully looking at the edges of her current field of vision without turning her head, the raven-haired girl slowly edged her right leg up onto the ledge as well. In her current position, her legs lying down, she would be destroyed within _milliseconds_ if something decided to attack.

She wasn't in a protective position in the slightest, whatever was behind-or beside-her now had a very clear shot at her back and more importantly, her head. If there was one thing that martial arts had thought her, being a sport of self-defense, it was that a blow to the head could be fatal. A simple punch could kill, so the fact that the average wolf could deliver a much stronger blow did nothing to ease her.

It was a stupid position to be in, idiotic. It could get her killed, but she needed to be in it. Getting up, especially with how steep the ledge was without doing so would've been nigh impossible. For someone of Gohan's size? Perhaps, but she didn't have the advantage of height.

However, her next move would count the most. If she came off violent, she had no doubt that whatever was still approaching her wouldn't hesitate to try and rip her head off. If she came off too weak, it'd do exactly the same.

It wasn't the exactly the time for reflection, but the simple thought of too much and too little reminded her of a foreign concept that she had studied. It wasn't tied in with their martial arts as much as religion, but Videl had discovered that the concept of Yin and Yang applied to many things, be it the amount of good and evil in the world or how violent or weak she came off to the _thing_ nearing her.

As she heard yet another twig snap, Videl came to a decision. She wasn't going to stay put, she wasn't going to fight it. She was going to run and not _look_ back. As much as she was at odds with her father, the thought of just seeing his face again was more than enough fuel to feed her decision.

Erasa, Sharpner, Gohan, her dad, even _Mark_, they'd all be disappointed if she simply gave up. She still had a chance: she had to make a break for it and quick. She was fast, and agile; it was her fighting style but she had no doubt that the agility would come in handy now.

She briefly contemplated using the technique which Gohan had shown her which allowed her to run faster, Videl decided against it. Ki was a funny thing; it was incredibly useful, but in a situation where the opportunity to use it arose it was completely useless. Well it wasn't exactly the Ki that was useless, rather that she was positive that she would be unable to muster up even the tiniest speck of energy at the moment. Videl almost snickered at the irony as she attempted to calm herself down, so as to not appear too worried about the _animal_ behind her.

Ki required you to be calm, at peace with yourself, relaxed. At the moment, she was anything but. Her body was shivering with fear but it took everything she had to try and control it and calm down. Whatever it was, Videl was willing to bet that it would be able to detect fear and since she was shedding it like a second skin, she wouldn't have even the slightest chance to survive much less escape.

Briefly weighing up the positives and negatives of doing so, Videl mustered up enough courage to take a quick look at what was behind her. Peeking at the _thing_, she quickly turned her head back wishing that she hadn't looked.

A wolf was one thing, so was a buffalo, but the largest bear she had ever seen was a whole other issue. It was slowly circling up to her, cautiously but aggressively, almost telling her that it was ready for whatever her next move would be.

She had never before come face to face with a bear before, short of zoos that she had visited, but she did know about a little about them. Generally they'd only attack if they were provoked, or if they were attempting to protect their young... as far as she was aware, she hadn't done anything to provoke it. That meant that there was a young bear around somewhere, possibly even more of it's family.

Her stomach felt like it had turned into liquid as she realised that she hadn't told anyone else where she was going. She'd just been tired. All she had wanted to do was escape and get some time to herself. If she were to be murdered, at whatever odd hour it was, it would be days if not weeks before her body was found, and the bear would be able to simply walk off after making a meal out of her.

As the bear neared her, Videl realised that there was no slow creeping out of this one. She would have to run as fast as she could, for her very life, hoping that the bear wasn't feeling particularly vicious.

With that thought in mind, Videl quickly pushed off the ground and broke into a sprint, attempting to put as much distance between her and the bear as possible. As her heart began to rapidly thump within her chest, she heard another primal roar-this one shaking her very core since she was much closer to it.

Frozen, Videl wasn't able to stop herself from turning around, her body probably refusing to to be killed from behind. She wasn't as surprised as she perhaps should've been, finding that the bear had lunged itself towards her. Time seemed to slow down for her as the bear glided through the air, probably hoping to maul her face off.

It was over. This was the end, the final straw. She'd ended things with her dad on a bad note and that would undoubtedly be last memory that he'd ever have of her, and there was nothing that she'd be able to do about it.

She was going to bleed out slowly here, attempting to call for help until an animal destroyed her vocal chords or she simply lost the energy to use them. Gohan, Goten, Chichi... none of them would be able to hear her.

Just as one of the bear's sharp claws almost made contact with her, something overtook her body, forcing it to throw itself backwards. Videl watched with wide eyes, as the bear dove into the water of the cold stream, almost just then realising that she was in the midst of falling herself.

She soon discovered that the water was a lot colder than her feet had previously let on.

* * *

><p>Of all the things that Gohan had expected to knock on the door in the middle of the night, Videl doubted that a wet and soppy Satan girl was one of them. Yet, when the demi-Saiyan heard the sound of knuckles banging on the wooden front door of his tiny dome-shaped house he reacted as if the mailman had come to make a delivery. As her Sensei rubbed the remainder of sleep from his eyes, he let out an amused chuckle, obviously finding it hilarious to see Videl glaring at him from between the wet raven hair stuck to her face by the cold river water.<p>

"And a good night to you too!" Gohan snickered as he gestured for the brunette to step inside. With one more destructive look, Videl eventually walked inside the warm confines of the Son residence, instantly feeling relieved when the warm air touched her dripping wet skin. While the other teenager went into the kitchen to go and make a hot beverage, his student was replaying the reel in her head containing the scene from what seemed like just minutes ago.

She had no idea how she had done it, but by some stroke of luck she had managed to escape the assailing bear. Although in hindsight, throwing herself into the river hadn't been the smartest option it was definitely been better than having her face mauled off. She hadn't even thought of escaping into the river, she didn't even remember doing it. It was almost as though some external force had responded to her pleas of help and taken control of her body, knowing that the wild animal would follow suit.

When Gohan walked back into the kitchen Videl eagerly took the ceramic mug he was holding and almost scorched her throat on the blazing hot cocoa. Feeling the warmth of the drink spread throughout her body the girl sighed in content, now just merely happy to be safe and sound again. She took another sip of her chocolate milk and maneuvered herself to the comfortable couch. Het teacher sat down next to her and looked at her with a degree of curiosity.

"So please, do tell," Gohan queried with the arch of a brow. "What happened that caused you to stand at my door in the middle of the night, completely soaked?"

It didn't take long for the crimefighter to retell the tale of the blood-thirsty bear that had chased her through the forest and how she had managed to fend the beast off. The demi-Saiyan listened intently throughout, scratching his chin as if in thought. After placing the final period to her epic adventure a chuckle emanated from the black-haired teen.

"You should've let me come with you," he grinned at her. "But in all seriousness, you should be a little more careful but I guess you're here and that's all that matters. That said, it was a pretty good idea to not try and blast the thing with a Ki blast."

"Y-yeah," Videl nodded. Truthfully, the idea hadn't even occurred to her in the moment, the adrenaline of the situation overriding much of her common sense.

"If you'd misfired, or maybe if the bear survived it, all of your energy would've been sapped. There's now way that you'd have been able to swim away, much less walk all the way up here... pretty steep mountain area y'know."

"I could've beat it with one!" protested Videl, suddenly wondering why she hadn't had the presence of mind to do so in the first place.

"I'm sure," Gohan smiled coyly, "so do you reckon it's time to get some shut eye now?"

Her clothes had mostly dried off, although they were damp, they weren't nearly as cold as they had previously been. The warmth of the household was probably the main contributing factor to that, but her hair was another story. The damn thing was still dripping, albeit much slower than before.

"In case you didn't notice, I'm still pretty wet... there's no way I'll be able to get to sleep like this."

"Ah, my bad," he chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "I'll be right back with a towel."

As the Son boy disappeared, Videl shivered slightly. Despite being warm on the outside, she was still freezing on the inside. While she'd gotten the alone time that she had wanted, it wasn't exactly what she'd been hoping for.

Brushing bangs of wet hair out of her face, Videl followed the trail of the tufts of hair noting that her hair was dampest by her scalp although the wet feeling followed through to the end of each strand.

Moments later, Gohan returned with a towel in hand. Catching the thin material as he threw it, Videl noted that it was significantly different-particularly less fluffy-to the ones she had back home. It almost felt like a piece of cloth, but it would have to do.

Rubbing it against her hair, Videl quickly asked. "I don't suppose you've a pair of spare clothes that I could wear do you?"

"Well, I guess we could wake Mum up," he offered an apologetic smile almost as though he knew that she would decline the option.

"Nah I don't want to interrupt Mrs. Son or anything. I guess I'll be fine in this. Although you don't have a baggy T-shirt or something that I could wear, do you? All my stuff's in the wash right now."

"Probably, but that's only half the problem solved. You still need some pants or something, and I don't reckon that any of mine would fit you, you're pretty small you know." He chuckled nervously as she glared at him.

"I'm aware and just a shirt will be fine, pants aren't that much of a loss and the underwear I had in the wash is probably dry by now... hopefully." Videl sighed slightly.

"Y-you mean sleep without any pants?" Gohan gulped as Videl gave him a bemused look..

"Yeah, lots of people do it and besides I'll be covered by the blanket anyway..." she said awkwardly, failing to just quite remember when the conversation had gone from her little adventure to her pants or lack thereof.

"Oh and that reminds me, I spoke to the other instructors over the phone a little while ago." Gohan said, evidently eager to change the topic as well.

"About what?" Videl struggled to recollect their names, having taken to Gohan like a moth to flame. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to try out their training methods, given how great Gohan's had been.

Marking that little thought away in the back of her head, Videl's ears perked up as he spoke. "We've found a temporary training ground." The words rolled gently out of his mouth, but Videl was sure that it took no small amount of willpower to hush the excited tone in voice down as much as he had.

"A temporary training ground?" she repeated, somewhat distraught. "Isn't here fine?"

Maybe she hadn't been the only one who hadn't feeling all too great about the last few days, they were fine but they fell short of what her expectations had been. Although, she herself had never been sure what she'd expected given that the man teaching her could fly.

"Well, this is my house and all. We've gotten a bit of training done, but not as much as I'd have liked with my mum and Goten around. Plus, it'd be a bit of a squeeze to have all the other students join us here." Gohan frowned slightly sensing that something was amiss.

"So you mean that Goten won't be around?" The somewhat hopeful tone in her voice might've given something away.

"Yeah, we generally try to keep him away from the dojo... he tends to do silly things and sometimes scare people off," Gohan recollected fondly, but he wasn't smiling. "Why?"

"It's just that... I don't get it..." Videl sighed, "how does an eight-year old 'have a pretty good handle' on his Ki?"

Seeing the look which the spiky haired adolescence gave her, Videl continued. "It's not fair, I don't want to sound cocky or anything... but I'm a pretty good martial artist, I reckon, and so are many of the students you guys have. How is that an eight year old's already as good, if not better than us? He would've been in diapers a couple of years ago."

"Ah I see... well, for one Goten's been using Ki for much longer than you've even known of its existence. That and Ki is a lot like swimming in many ways; you can teach it to a child fairly easily, and pretty quickly too. However if you try and teach it to an adult-someone whose mind has been closed for so many years-you will not have much success. Ki is about the power within you, your energy, your willpower and if you will, even your imagination... that is why so many people fail to unlock it, or even acknowledge its existence."

"So it's not that Goten's some ridiculous prodigy or something? Just that he's young?" Videl questioned, having understood her sensei's words.

"Yes and no. While Goten's stronger than I was when I was his age-much like myself and my father-he's known about Ki for much longer than either of us had. It runs in the family, I suppose, but his age definitely has something to do with it."

"Oh okay... so where's our temporary training ground, anyway?" Videl asked, wrapping the towel around her head and following Gohan as he walked to his room in order to get a T-shirt.

"Fire Mountain."

* * *

><p>With a violent gasp for air Mark shot up from under his blankets, the sudden feeling of oxygen filling his lungs snapping him awake in the space of a second. As the boy tried to regulate his breathing, he placed a cold palm on his hot and sweat-soaked chest. The pulsing muscle was pounding, sending a boost of adrenaline surging through his body on every beat. Finally coming back to his senses, Mark concluded that he had just awakened from a horrid dream.<p>

The Satan boy let himself fall back onto his mattress, but the soft surface beneath him couldn't bring him comfort in any sense. Falling asleep was probably not even an option anymore, just like the night before. A good night's rest seemed like something he had last experienced years ago, though the sleep deprivation had actually only kicked in two days earlier.

Raising his palm up to his face, Mark wiped some of the salty liquid from his forehead. He had experienced another nightmare, just like he had yesterday. Just like now, he had almost come back to reality with a scream and his entire form had been soaked in sweat down to the very last inch.

The thought of him, Mark Satan, the one and only son of the World Champion of Martial Arts being completely torn up by something as small as a lack of sleep was somewhat degrading, but frankly he couldn't care less. No, feeling weak wasn't even half as bad as those horrible, horrible dreams that haunted him in his nightly hours.

Mark threw his covers off and swung his legs out of bed, the feeling of the rug beneath his bare feet, making him feel like he finally had some solid ground. If the nightmares weren't going to let him have any rest tonight, what point was there in remaining bedbound? As he shuffled out of his room he didn't break off his train of thought.

The nasty dreams had started merely two days ago, but they were wrecking his mind completely. It all begun when he had faced his father in the lounge. For hours on end the scene had replayed in his head like a reel of film, but without the gritty and raw quality. Every little details had been engraved into his retinae forever: the way the man's face had stood in the dim candle light, the sound of ice cubes softly tingling against glass as they were swung back and forth in a sea of whiskey, that devilish little shimmer that had glistened in Hercule's eyes as he spoke to his son.

Said boy had just found the handle to the bathroom door, which gave a slight protesting shriek as it was swung open. As his hand reached out in search of the lightswitch, that dreaded scene unfolded is his mind once more. Mark had come home to a mansion completely empty of employees. Only his father had been home, waiting for his offspring to come back for the day. Cloaked in the deceitful proposition of a 'small father-son talk' Hercule had questioned his son about his day of training as if it was a completely normal thing to do for the older martial artist. Obviously this had struck the teenager as odd; his father had only protested against his studies in the new dojo up until that point in time.

Like the teenager had suspected, there had been a lot more to their confrontation than your everyday father-son talk. Over the course of the conversation Hercule had left him in an agonizing feeling of suspense as he told Mark of the deal that he wanted to make. Apparently the man was under the illusion that his daughter was in love with her Sensei and somehow he feared that she was going to run off and elope. In an attempt to break the duo apart Hercule, had tried to persuade the teen boy into doing it for him.

Of course Mark had initially protested. He couldn't believe that his father could sink so incredibly low and frankly he wanted to pull the man out of his chair by his collar and smack him across the face. Mark had shouted at and accused his father, he had told the man that his dojo couldn't even compare to what Senseis like Gohan and Yamcha did for their development.

But Hercule had merely laughed and scratched his bushy moustache in nonchalance. The confident smile that then continued to curl around the man's lips had caused a shiver to travel down the Satan boy's spine. Behind those pearly whites there was something that frightened him to his very core.

As his fingertips pressed down on the lightswitch, Mark heard the words of his father replay in his head all over again. If he agreed to breaking apart student and teacher he would be made into the full heir of the Satan estate. If he managed to get Gohan away from Videl, all of the money, dojos, fame and fortune that his father owned would soon be his.

And, stupid as he was, Mark accepted. His sense of justice had somehow been shut off at the thought of having money to do whatever his heart desired from him. Money could do strange things to people. Mark himself had seen that with his own two eyes, he had watched as his own father had succombed to the power of wealth, the incredible feeling of power that something a simple as a stack of green bills could give to someone. He had seen his father's accomplices slowly but surely lose touch with their own reality at the menacing hands of greed. Knowing this all, refusing his father's proposal only seemed like a natural thing to do, yet the smell of money waiting to be his had taken a hold of his thinking capabilities and made the decision for him.

Somewhere inside the teenager felt disgusted with himself. He had sold out his one and only sister, the only girl that was able to talk some sense into him every now and then, the sole person who knew what it was like to be cursed being born with a last name like theirs. And why? Because of some meaningless digits on his bank account. It made him feel like a treacherous pig.

Mark walked over to the mirror hanging above the sink and absently studied his own reflection. He looked destroyed, the bags under his eyes having grown a deep purple color. His face was pale and thin, his eyes milky white. If he had been even more sleep deprived, he probably would've thought that his hair was slowly turning grey as well. All in all he looked like a corpse, a sleep deprived corpse, that was.

The bathroom was dead silent, only the sounds of his slightly elevated heartbeat accompanied by his deep breathing reflecting off of the small white tiles. Being alone usually meant that Mark would trail off in thought and that was something that he was doing his best to prevent.

A little voice inside his head mumbled something in the back of his mind. Mark tried to ignore it with all his might, but the more he tried to block it the more clear the words eventually became.

_Just look at yourself! This is not the face of a winner, these aren't the features of a man. No... this is the face of a liar, a coward, a whimp. No, even worse, those eyes staring back at you are the eyes of a traitor..._

Mark pressed his palm against his temple in an attempt to make his conscience shut up, but it was to no avail. All his protests resulted in was an ever-growing headache. He noticed himself flinch in his own reflection and opened the medicine cabinet with the speed of light. If this situation didn't get any better soon he was bound to lose his sanity. Nearly dropping the bottle of aspirin as he pulled it out the boy placed a rough handful in his mouth and filed a glass with water. Time seemed to stand still as he listened to droplets of liquid fall down, tearing wrinkles in the transparent surface below.

With a quivering hand he eventually managed to take a hold of the glass and raise it to his lips. The cool water in his dry mouth felt like a bit of a relief, but even the load of pills that he gulped down along with it couldn't manage to keep his conscience clear. Suddenly a searing pain shot through his head, worse than any migraine attack that he had ever heard of. Immediately reaching for his head, Mark dropped the glass, shimmering fragments shooting in every possible direction as it shattered on the white tiles below. A bigger piece shot into his direction and punctured a line of skin on his foot, leaving a deep and bloody gash. Mark cursed in irritation, only to have another wave of pain cloud his vision and ability to speak.

Wanting to cool off from his inner struggle the boy let the shower run cold and got undressed. He stepped underneath the freezing cold stream of water without a second thought, barely noticing the chilling temperatures of the shower. As his hair and scalp were doused with the cold liquid his mind still hadn't stopped racing yet.

Mark sincerely wanted to do the right thing and warn Videl about their father's plans. He wanted to make sure that Hercule wouldn't pull a stunt that could ruin everything for everybody. Most of all, he wanted to get this damn weight off of his chest and for the guilt to stop gnawing at his conscience. All he had to do for that to happen was to tell Mr. Satan to choke on it.

But yet, the thought of having all the fortune he desired managed to grasp his attention, it kept looming in his head like a snake eyeing its prey before striking to kill. No matter how much the teen wanted to do the right thing, the power of money managed to avert his gaze from his true intentions. His greed was getting the best of him and normally he would have spat on himself for being such a fool, but the words of his father echoed in his head so vividly that there was no way to block them out and come back to his senses.

Infuriated, Mark slammed his palm against the bathroom wall and used it for support. He didn't mind the small cracks that formed beneath his fingers. All he wanted was for the jumbling mess in his head to disappear, but there was no way possible plan that he could think of that could help him out of this sticky situation.

Should he do what was ethically best and tell Videl what has been going on behind her back so far? Or should he choose for the unlimited wealth that had been offered to him?

As Mark continued his inner struggle he absentmindedly watched the blood from his wound swirl down the shower drain. If only his troubles could be washed down the drain as well...

**Author's Notes: This chapter was brought to you by Kakarot Son and Kalebxdd.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: TDS does not own Dragonball.**

* * *

><p>"So that's the last one?" Videl questioned as she watched Gohan place yet another snack into his bag. Between all the food and the equipment in there, Videl was almost positive that it had to have weighed somewhere around the twenty kilo mark. It was a miracle that the bag itself hadn't already torn.<p>

"Yep," Gohan nodded as he effortlessly swung the bag over his shoulders. "We've got enough stuff between our bags for the trek there, and everything that we need for while we're there has already been organised."

"I still don't get how we're going to walk there," Videl said as she rubbed her hands together in an effort to warm herself up. The polar-fleece jumper that Chichi had lent her barely did enough to protect herself from the chilly morning breeze.

"It's not that hard to understand, is it?" Gohan grinned, "you move one leg forward slightly before stepping onto it and then doing the same with the other."

"That's not what I meant!" Videl glared at him playfully before adopting a serious look. "It's like a sixty kilometer trek, it'll take us at least a week to walk that!"

"Well, we've only got a day to do it," said Gohan. "So I guess we better get a move on."

"It's not like we can use our Ki to propel ourselves when we're walking," Videl huffed. "The road's pretty windy and I probably wouldn't be able to turn, never mind continuously exert myself."

"Who said anything about a road?" Gohan held back a chuckle as Videl rubbed her hands against her arms, hoping that the friction would warm her slightly.

"So we're going bush-bashing... great," Videl muttered, as she stared at Gohan, seemingly envious of his invulnerability to the cold.

"You didn't expect training to be easy, did you?" Gohan gave her an exaggerated questioning glance as he raised an eyebrow.

"No... it's n-not that but how is walking, training?" Videl stuttered slightly at the gaze he sent her way.

"Well, you answered it yourself," said Gohan, "it's a sixty-five kilometre trek—endurance training."

"Sixty k's isn't that much," Videl sighed, "when you ignore the crazy schedule you've got put down for us. At this rate we won't even be able to stop for lunch for all that long..."

"You keep on assuming things," her sensei grinned. "I never said we were stopping either."

* * *

><p>Mark yawned for a proper five seconds as he tossed his bag by the front door of the Satan mansion. In less than half an hour the doorbell would ring and Yamcha would be standing on the other side of the door, Sharpener probably already with him. When his Sensei had informed him about their newly chosen training grounds Mark couldn't have been any happier; he felt like it would be a good thing to not have to sleep in his own house every night, some time away from the ties that bound him would definitely do him some good.<p>

The boy stretched his arms behind in his back in an attempt to loosen his limbs before he wandered off from the hallway and towards the kitchen to grab himself a quick breakfast before leaving on his journey. For the first time in at least a week he had gotten a decent amount of sleep during the night and that was definitely noticeable. Not that he had gone to bed like any regular night and had drifted off into dreamland like any normal person, no, quite on the contrary.

As Mark rubbed the last remainder of sleep from his hazel eyes he used his other hand to open the pantry and reach for a box of cereal. It was like he was flying on automatic pilot as he shuffled towards the refrigerator to grab milk and the cupboards for a bowl, his train of thoughts running over the past week all the while through. As he poured the milk over the grainy flakes he contemplated his current situation, this time with a mind not hazed by sleep deprivation and anxiety by nightly terrors.

The more the Satan boy thought about the deal he had closed with his father the closer he came to the realisation that he might have just made a dreadful mistake. He knew that he would never be able to forgive himself if he betrayed his sister the way he did and the fact that he had done just that felt like a weight crushing down on his chest. Once again the power of money had proven itself to be an incredibly powerful thing and it had managed to take him into a dangerous chokehold. The mere idea of possessing wealth had made him turn to his own sibling and he hated himself for it. No, 'hate' was not enough to describe how he felt about himself, 'loathing' would be a better fit.

Mark walked over to the kitchen table and pulled a chair out from underneath, the shrieking of the old wooden legs over the floor making him cringe slightly. He sat down on it and stirred his spoon through the breakfast absentmindedly and heaved in the deep sigh in the process. Due to his inner conflicts finding sleep had been a rare thing for the teenager in the last seven days and as he went he could see the bags under his eyes grow larger with every day that passed.

Finally, just yesterday, had his fatigue caught up with him and he had fallen asleep the second his cheek hit the pillow. Then the boy had been in a state of near-coma for a good twelve hours and the second he had woken from his slumber he finally felt a bit rested in what had felt like forever.

Mark bit down on a spoon full of cereal, never even registering this flavor as the gears in his mind grinded like crazy, weighing down every possible option, solution and outcome.

He wanted to relieve the feeling of guilt that pained him so much and that was quite easily done if he simply told Videl was their father had been up to recently, but that meant that he had to confront Hercule and defy the man's wishes. Even while Yamcha's rigorous training had paid off dearly and had caused Mark's power to far exceed his father's, the Satan boy was still frightened off the man's response to whatever he said or did. His years of fearing Hercule's judgement were getting the best of him there and were preventing him from taking some actual steps so far. That and the continuous promise of a who knows how many figured back account.

Mark sighed again before chewing down yet another spoon of his breakfast, wondering if he could at least ease the circumstances of his current situation somewhat. He figured that the least he could do was tell his sister what their father's plan was; he could try and find a way to deal with the threat known as Mr. Satan later.

The boy nearly had a heart attack when said man's name boomed through the kitchen and called his name; a snicker escaping its owner as he noticed Mark neatly tumbling out of his chair in fright.

"What's the matter boy," Hercule laughed in amusement. "Bad conscience?" he stood in the kitchen's door frame, a newspaper tucked under his arm and his big afro hairdo even fuzzier than usual. He walked towards the table and pulled a chair out for himself, not even glancing at his son as he sat down and unfolded the paper to read the morning news.

"So..." Mark had to suppress a gulp as he heard his father address him from behind the black and white wall. "You got your bags all packed and ready, eh? Any idea how long those goofballs that dare to call themselves Senseis are planning on keeping you busy?"

"I-I wouldn't know," his son stammered, nearly choking on a spoon of cereal in the haste of replying. "All Yamcha told us was that we were moving to a new training ground and that we would be staying there for a while. He never mentioned anything on how long we would be gone."

A rustling noise sounded as Hercule flipped a page, humming in understanding.

"So that means that there will be plenty of time for you to execute your plan. You do have a plan, do you?"

This time Mark wasn't able to hold back the gulp. With a shaky hand he pushed his breakfast aside and began to twiddle with his thumbs. nervous about how to reply. Right now he could tell the Champion that he didn't want to be a part of his plans anymore, that there was no way that he would be betraying his sister again.

'Yeah, uh...about that.." he mumbled anxiously. "I-I don't think that I'll be able to go through with that, dad. It just doesn't feel right to rat Videl out like that, it's unfair."

Hercule barely stirred at the answer, firstly beginning to fold up the newspaper. Mark felt his stomach drop the second he laid eyes on the man's face, a wide grin sprawled over his face. Mr. Satan tossed the paper aside and reached into the pockets of his morning robe, pulling out something that made a faint rattling noise as he took it out.

The teenager's eyes dilated as he caught a glimpse of his father's car keys. Obviously his father was going in for another bribe and the teen hated him for it, but he had to admit that Hercule was a master of persuasion.

"Come on, son," the man snickered as he jingled the keys again in front of said boy's face. "At least be a good sport and tell me where you and your teacher are going to stay. If you do that you can take him and that Sharpener kid out to your new training grounds in your brand new Bugatti."

Mark swallowed hard. Aside from his own flesh and blood his Bugatti was his most prized possession. Him and Videl were barely even allowed to cast a glance at the vehicle before and now his dad was giving it to him? Feeling conflicted once again he tried to talk himself out of the situation, hoping that his father would leave his bribing aside and let him go without any further questioning.

"I don't think I can, dad," the Champion's son said hastily as he rose from his chair. "Yamcha and Sharpener will be here any minute and I think that Yamcha wants us to walk the whole way so the Bugatti would be of no use."

Hercule merely chuckled. 'Well, then I'll make sure that the servants have it polished and absolutely spotless when you return. All you have to do is tell me where our training group is headed."

Mark grit his teeth as Hercule jingled the keys again, the temptation to reach out and grab them beginning to overwhelm his reasonable thinking.

* * *

><p>An exhausted Videl stumbled after the man walking effortlessly in front of her as he made his way down a windy trail. Breathing heavily, she stopped on her feet and tossed the bag off her shoulders onto the ground before collapsing herself.<p>

As she drew long breaths, it seemed like it took forever for her sensei to notice her, however she wasn't waiting for him. Ripping the zipper of her bag open, she thrust her right hand in and fished around for her water bottle.

It wasn't the first time they had stopped by a longshot, and Videl doubted that it would be the last; her bottle was closer to empty than it was full but that didn't stop her from pressing it to her mouth and allowing the cool liquid to flow through her dry mouth. Savouring the refreshing feeling, Videl tugged at the polar fleece jacket that she was wearing as Gohan neared her.

"Probably a good idea," her teacher commented, approvingly, as she pulled it off. She had long since abandoned the thermal top she had been wearing at the start of their little journey, so with the loss of her jacket, all she had on was a long-sleeved white top.

Rolling up the sleeves of her shirt, she tucked the jacket into her backpack as her breaths evened. The chilly morning air helped to cool her down, creating an odd sensation as icy wind met warm sweat. Glancing to Gohan as she sipped lightly at her water, she hid a slight smirk.

"I thought you said we weren't stopping?" she grinned, leaning against her standing backpack.

"We're not," he said monotonously. "How're your legs doing?"

"They feel like they're absolutely shredded," Videl answered honestly as she massaged her thighs. Caressing them, she looked around slightly, Gohan had agreed to abandon the bush-bashing path he'd laid out for them not too long ago and stick to the road. There were a billion bugs on the ground and it was so disgusting that Erasa would have squealed in shock at the site but Videl couldn't have cared less.

There were various potholes of different sizes in the aging road which might as well have been paved half a millenium ago, and the path had been overgrown by all kinds of plants in some stages. Videl had learned that the hard way a little while ago when she had tripped on a lone root which she should've seen a mile away, but thankfully the road itself wasn't too hard to follow.

There weren't any unmapped random forks in the road or anything, but finding the path in itself had been an adventure.

"Good," Gohan said, almost sounding condescending, "it means that this is working."

"I-I'm not too sure about that... sensei..." Videl muttered under her breath, "all I can feel is pain and I reckon we've still got another ten kilometers to go." They weren't making bad on time but that wasn't necessarily a good thing, Videl likened it to sprinting in a marathon—while Gohan had no trouble setting and keeping to a pace, she had found herself struggling a mere hour or two in.

"Twenty five to be exact," Gohan sighed, before perking up. "You've done pretty well so far, one of the better students I've had... at least on a hike."

"Hiking's not that fun," Videl lamented as she brushed the back of her palm against her forehead, wiping away little beads of sweat that had reformed.

"It's different," her sensei nodded. "It's not a fight where you can try and turn your opponent's weaknesses against them, or capitalise on their mistakes... it's endurance training, something that's invaluable in a fight. Being able to push yourself to the limit and then push yourself some more, time and again."

"Well if you're better than your opponent, you don't have to worry about that in the first place," quipped Videl.

"You're never truly better than your opponent," Gohan said, Videl almost laughing at the hermit-like tone that her sensei's voice seemed to adopt. "There's always a trick that someone will be able to pull out of the bag, something that'll turn the tables and take you by surprise."

"You make it sound like a little spar's a fight to the death..." Videl said, not quite catching on.

"I've been in more than a few, and since you're someone that's involved with fighting crime... when everything's on the table, you want to be able to pull out all stops."

Videl could only nod at the wise-words, easily relating having been in similar situations herself. Being able to push yourself required a certain willpower, something that everything had, but something that few mastered or even began to learn to control.

"Now I reckon that's enough of a break, we can't waste too much time now—we want to get there before sunset after all."

Videl struggled to clamber to her feet, before falling back down onto her back, blowing a large breath. "My legs are still killing me..."

"Temporary pain for long-term gain?" Gohan winced as his student shot him an odd glance after he uttered the saying. "Well think of it this way," Gohan paused, "one of my teachers used to tell this to me, in fact—pain is weakness escaping the body."

"That's not a bad one," Videl gritted her teeth, as she propped herself up, pushing herself onto her hands. Holding back a wince, she looked towards her sensei with determination.

"Let's go."

* * *

><p>She couldn't feel her legs anymore. They felt numb, severed, as if they simply weren't there anymore. The repetitive scraping of her shoes against the dry grass of the hill they were on slowly tearing at her ears, she glanced at her sensei.<p>

He was slightly more tensed than he had been when they began, a few trickles of sweat had begun to form on his forehead, however that was still in sharp contrast to the puddle of sweat that her body was swimming in.

The cool morning breeze that their journey began with had rapidly transformed into a great heat wave which was only just starting to fade with the sun. The heat was less intense, but it wasn't any warmer and if Videl had to take a guess, it was still an hour or two away from darkness.

She hadn't opened her mouth to speak in a long time; it was too dry. The water bottle which she had been carrying was now empty, each droplet having been sipped from it. Gohan himself had rationed the last of the water he was carrying between himself and the Satan girl an hour or two ago, but that was all long gone.

They hadn't stopped for lunch yet, hell they hadn't even stopped unless she had been too weak to carry on. Gohan was like a machine, a car running on petrol, he didn't need any food...

barely needed any water and in turn, barely reacted to the strong heat that they had faced.

Despite the fact that the end of summer was near, the coolness that Autumn often provided had not yet grasped the mountain-area that Gohan lived in. Although the mornings were cold enough, the afternoons were awfully humid and even though the sun was just beginning to descend from it's perch high up in the sky, she was boiling. So much so that all she wanted to do was fall over and drop dead on top of the straw-like grassy field they were walking through.

The only thing that was able to keep Videl footed was Gohan's promise of Fire Mountain being only an hour or so away, and after having plowed through grassy fields, rocky mountains and dense forests for hours on end the girl was dreading the thought of sixty more agonising minutes. She didn't even feel the pressure on her numb legs anymore, her feet were dragging her forwards almost as if she was on automatic pilot.

Being lost in her train of thought the crimefighter nearly jumped three feet when her sensei suddenly spoke.

"Ah, good!" Gohan exclaimed, a joyful smile adorning his features. "We're almost there, see?"

Videl's neck protested heavily as she managed to raise her head, the heavy bag on her back nearly making her tumble backwards. She brushed a wet and sweaty lock of raven hair from her face and followed her teacher's pointing finger. In between the tops of the trees the top of a mountain became visible, the giant rock standing tall and proud in the relatively flat landscapes surrounding it.

With the place being called Fire Mountain Videl had expected to see an ocean of flames dancing over it, like all the stories and rumors had told. Much to her surprise it looked like any other mountain, aside from the towering castle on top.

"Say," the Satan girl addressed Gohan as she threw the bag up on her shoulders a bit more to supports its weight more properly. "Wasn't FireMountain supposed to be engulfed in a sea of flames or something?"

Her sensei chuckled at little Videl's confusion. "A bit of half and half," he replied as he put another zip in his step, forcing his student to pick up her speed as well. "Many, many years ago the mountain was a fiery hot and blazing one, it was so bad that even the Ox King Gyu Mao himself wasn't able to reach his castle. But then one day a very skilled martial artist known by the pseudonym of Turtle Hermit released a very powerful wave of Ki, expelling the flames into nothingness and finally enabling Gyu Mao to live in his castle again. It also just so happens that Gyu Mao is the one providing our temporary training grounds which are just a little passed here."

Videl arched a brow in curiosity. "Not to butt in or anything sensei, but exactly how did you manage to get the Ox King to give you training grounds within his territory? I heard that the guy was a real grouch and that he downright terrorizes the inhabitants of the nearby villages."

Gohan laughed in his usual manner. "Well, I can assure you that those stories are false, Gyu Mao is one of the most kind-hearted people that I've ever known." He cast a glance at the castle that continued to come into view more and more with every mile that they travelled. "And about how I managed to get us these new training grounds; that will be my own little secret for now. Maybe I can tell you later on..." He grinned a little as he rubbed the back of his neck.

And with that Gohan continued to march forwards, leaving Videl to fall behind a bit with every step that he took. The gears in the girl's head were grinding like crazy as she tried to figure out just what she had been told. Who was her sensei exactly, with him being able to have royalty open up for him?

* * *

><p>Videl heaved the deepest sigh she had ever let out as she tossed her bag in front of the gigantic hall doors. Instantly she could feel her neck, back and shoulders burn up now that the heavy ballast that had been holding her back had been removed. Without second doubt she dropped herself to the ground, giving herself a chance to rest her legs.<p>

She glanced to her side and noticed Gohan looking at her with a smile. The demi-Saiyan remained silent as he rummaged through his own backpack, pulling out a bottle of water that he had been holding back for their entire trek, as well as two ham sandwiches made by the Queen of Cooking, Chi-Chi. The Satan girl didn't waste a second as she gulped down half the bottle of water in the fraction of a millisecond, only the viciously tear up the plastic wrapper around the slices of bread while attempting to glare at her sensei for hiding his treasures.

The large doors croaked deeply as one half of the giant wooden door swung open, revealing a happily smiling Yamcha as he poked his head around.

"Ah, you're finally here," the Wolf warrior exclaimed as he pushed the door open further. "We've been waiting for you. Guys! Come on out, everybody's here!"

A rousing murmur of voice emanated from the large hallway and one by one the teachers and their students walked outside. Videl noticed all the familiar faces; Katie, Freed, Tien, Krillin and of course her brother Mark. She barely paid any attention to how her own sibling didn't even dare to look at her as if he had done something wrong.

But there was also a new face in the crowd, one that Videl had never seen before. It was that of a young man, only a year or two older than herself at most. His hair was the same color as hers, the neatly trimmed locks ending just above his firm shoulders. But that wasn't his most outstanding feature, no. What really struck the girl were his hellishly blue eyes, ones that could easily hold the most piercing glare that anyone had ever seen.

A glance into them sent small shudders down her back, they were unnerving... scary, but she couldn't help herself from taking another peak. They didn't look frightening, more risk-taking and fearless... what she would've thought her own would've looked like except with a more mischievous dare-devil wearing them.

Suddenly looking away when he looked up at her, Videl prodded her fingers together slightly before looking towards Gohan again. "S-so this is where we're staying?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Inside is pretty much gigantic hall with a kitchen out back, plenty of space for everyone to sleep."

"Where are the showers?" Katie asked, glancing at Gohan curiously. "I'd imagine that we'll all kind of stink..." she trailed off at the awkward looks that she began to receive from her peers.

"There aren't any," Gohan shrugged slightly. "But if you're really that desperate, Krillin's going to be doing runs to a large field about half an hour away from Satan City's airport every monday and friday for those that can't stay here all the time."

"What about in that big castle up there?" Freed questioned, an arrogant tone to his voice. "Surely there's running water in there somewhere."

This time it wasn't Gohan who replied, but rather Krillin.

"Yeah, of course there is," the bald monk answered. "But seeing that a castle isn't exactly the best place to hold our training we're just going to have to stay here. The Ox King has made it perfectly clear that he would like his castle to remain as it is now and having a horde of teenagers running around using Ki would probably result in the opposite."

A clap was heard, coming from the three-eyed warrior Tien, effectively grasping the attention of all those gathered around him.

"Well, what do you say we get started?" Tien said with a playful grin. "It's only a little past sunset anyways so there is still plenty of time to get some training in and for you to get used to the new grounds. I say we all go in a different direction and find ourselves a proper spot to work out for a bit. We also probably need to gather some firewood and make sure that we have enough water to last ourselves for a few days."

"I can take care of the water," Yamcha offered, raising his hand slightly. After being met with an approving nod from Tien he nudged for his two students to come and follow him. "Come Sharpener, Mark, let's head out before it gets too cold to stay outside."

"Not so fast!" a voice bellowed from somewhere out of sight from the group. The voice was all but too familiar to Videl and she could instantly feel anger boiling up inside. That anger threatened to develop into rage as Hercule stepped out from behind a few trees, a triumphant look crossing his face as he approached the teachers and students.

All heads turned and a few stunned gasps were heard when the World Champion of martial arts halted in front of the group, his arms crossed and a smirk curled around his lips.

"Yes, can I help you?" Gohan nearly spat. Videl was surprised to hear the venom in his voice.

Even when her sensei had shoved her father to the wall his tone hadn't been this biting and sarcastic.

"Glad that you asked!" Hercule hollered so the entire group was able to hear him. "Well I've been keeping an eye on you lot and the way that you're 'training' my son and daughter. Needless to say... I'm impressed."

"Impressed?" Gohan questioned, looking at the man as though he had grown a second head.

"Yes, you heard me correctly," Hercule said, scratching through his moustache in an attempt to seem nonchalant. "But I can't help myself from wondering about exactly how good you senseis really are."

The demi-Saiyan arched a brow in confusion. Just what was this man planning on?

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked, curious as to what Hercule was going to say. "Just how do you expect from us to prove ourselves to you? And why do we need to do that for that matter?"

Hercule laughed in a deep tone, a slightly menacing ring to its sound as he made eye-contact with each and every person present.

"Well that's pretty easy," he stated, stretching his arms, in a casual tone. "All you have to do is swap the teacher and student couples around a bit. If my children aren't making any process under a new instructor then it should be more than obvious that this 'dojo' of yours is nothing but a big hoax."

Videl wanted to jump up in protest. How dare her father say something like that? Her, losing Gohan as the fantastic teacher that he was? No way! He was probably just afraid that she would run off with Gohan, just like always thought she would with any boy she spent time with.

But, much to her surprise, Gohan gave a small nod of understanding.

"Okay," the teenager said as he looked the man in front of him dead in the eyes. "And who do you suggest will be Videl and Mark's new teachers?"

Hercule took a minute to observe the company before him, scanning every single face in the search for a fitting match.

"Well how about you pair up Videl with..." Mr. Satan said, his pointing finger finally finding a proper suit. "Mr. Pretty Boy over there."

The girl followed her dad's pointing fingers and had to suppress a little gulp when her eyes fell on the mysterious newcomer to the group. When he laid eyes on his suggested trainee he merely scoffed before looking away, not even finding her worthy of another glance.

"The name's Seventeen," the young man spoke, turning his head with a sway of his jet-black hair. His voice was hush and silky, but the underlying tone in it was absolutely menacing, causing a slight shudder to go up and down the spines of both father and daughter. "And sure, I'll train your little girl if you want me to, but don't expect me to go easy on her. She should be happy that she gets to be in my presence in the first place."

Videl swallowed hard. If this man was truly going to be her new sensei then she was going to have some rough times to look forward too. Now all she could do was hope that the guy wasn't as bad as he sounded.

"So, little girl," Seventeen spoke, interrupting Videl's train of thought. "Get your tiny behind off the ground already and start walking, we have firewood to gather."

All hope for an easy-go training had evaporated instantly. This was going to be a long training session, that much was for sure.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was brought to you by Kakarot Son and kalebxdd<strong>


	19. Chapter 19

Even though she was still tired from the long hike, Videl's legs followed the new guy with renewed energy as she attempted to keep up with him. She wasn't exactly sure where he was leading her but for once she couldn't muster up the courage to ask him.

Something about the man rubbed her the wrong way... he wasn't physically intimidating in the slightest. He was only a couple centimetres taller than her, and she wasn't very tall to begin with. He was a very lean person, without bulging muscles like many people who were proficient in martial arts that she knew. No, it was the sleek charisma he had about him. His eyes were easily his most distinguishable feature but ignoring the icy-blue orbs, Videl had realised that every time he spoke it was in an eerily collected manner. Cool, calm, and proud - almost as though he was bragging with every word he spoke. Despite that, he didn't sound conceited in the least; he just exuded confidence.

All she knew was that they were going to gather firewood from somewhere, and whether that meant knocking trees down themselves somehow or picking and breaking apart fallen logs was anyone's guess. Yet somehow she suspected that they weren't going to buy nicely cut firewood from a shop. The forests scaling Fire Mountain were extremely dense and Videl had to zigzag her way through the maze of thick tree trunks, all the while swatting away dangerously low-hanging branches that threatened to hit her in the face. She secretly wondered if she couldn't just yank off a few here and there to take back to the camp, but the girl chose to remain silent. As they finally came to a stop, Seventeen spun on his heel and gestured to the trees around them.

"Well what are you waiting for?" he asked impatiently when she didn't move. "Cut down the trees around us."

"But they've got animals in them!" she protested as she glanced up to the various creatures and nests that were housed in several of the trees. "We can't just take their homes away from them like that."

Seventeen let out a frustrated sigh. "Did they not explain the concept of survival of the fittest to you at school, child?"

"Don't call me a child!" exclaimed Videl as she threw her hands up into the air. "I'm nineteen, you're only a year or two older than me at most."

"Heh, you'd be surprised," Seventeen chuckled slightly before his face darkened. "Now stop wasting my time and cut down these trees... or is that pretty face of yours too precious to do any work?"

"Can't we just look somewhere else? Or maybe take fallen logs instead?" asked Videl, searching for an alternative to destroying the homes of the animals.

"No," he said blandly. "Look around you, all the fallen logs are wet whereas the live ones have been protected from the rain by the leaves. Wet logs aren't good firewood especially because they make lots of smoke, so unless you want the clothes that you're wearing - the only ones you're going to have for a while - to stink with the unbearable stench of smoke, you'll do as I say."

"Gohan would find another way..." Videl muttered as she turned away from the man, still looking for other options.

"Gohan?" he asked with a bemused tone, the tiniest of smiles playing at the cyborg's lips. "Don't get me wrong sweetie, but you and I both know that Gohan is the world's biggest softy."

An infuriated grunt from Videl was the only response he got.

* * *

><p>Night had fallen rather quickly after the senseis and their students had reached Fire Mountain, drawing the warm sun from the skies and leaving them to shiver in the cold chill that the darkness brought with it. As all the provisions that had been gathered were assembled, Krillin quickly threw the firewood that Videl and Seventeen had amassed onto a big heap, lighting the twigs and branches ablaze in a fraction of a millisecond with a simple small Ki blast. The group of martial artists quickly gathered around the fire, dropping themselves down to the dirt below, too tired to remain standing even another second longer.<p>

Chit-chatter quickly arose and replaced the grim silence that hung in the air with the sound of talking and giggling voices. The teenagers and their teachers quickly forgot about the cold as the heat of the fire washed over them and kept them warm. With Hercule's proposed swap of senseis and pupils, all of the aspiring fighters had a reason to make small talk with their new instructors, taking the time to get to know one another.

The one boy who wanted to get to know his new sensei the most was Mark, for obvious reasons. The raven-haired teen had been wondering what was so special about the demi-Saiyan, what caused Videl to be so drawn to him and what made his father to resent him so deeply. He wasn't one to jump the gun but it tickled his curiosity.

Mark couldn't help but snicker as he thought about how his dad had always referred to Gohan, making him sound like some sort of brute that was only interested in seducing his daughter. Yet, when he and Gohan had gone out fishing to gather their meals the Satan heir hadn't seen anything that could prove that crazy theory; it was quite the contrary, really. There was nothing brutal about freeing a young deer which had been trapped under a falling log or petting the mountain lion that assailed them until it laid on its back, purring like an overgrown tomcat. From the looks of it, the head sensei of the dojo was one of the most kind-hearted people that Mark would ever have the pleasure of knowing.

He could definitely see what his sister liked so much about Gohan, that much was for sure. Even the densest of people would be able to see that the young man meant no harm in any way, not to anyone. That little glint, the little sparkle that resided in those charcoal-colored eyes told him there was more to the man than what could be seen on the surface. Gohan's position as head of the senseis and the incredible results his training produced made Mark absolutely certain that Gohan was a lot stronger that he let on.

And that's where that little glint came into play. Mark could only explain it as a glimmer of killing intent. The way those brown orbs spoke to to him told him that if this warrior ever got angry, genuinely and undeniably angry, there would be hell to pay. His eyes held a sense of ruthlessness, cloaked by a warm hazel that sparkled with joy.

All in all, Gohan was definitely a presence not to be take lightly. For one he would be the kind-hearted soul that could get anyone to smile simply by curling his lips, and to others he would be a menace if they did him wrong. This shrouded the young fighter in a sense of mystery, a feeling that lingered in the air and was impossible to ignore. Mark could certainly tell why it mesmerized him so much; the boy felt really drawn to Videl's old teacher. And, to a certain degree, frightened.

Mark could only wonder what the next few weeks of his training would look like. Judging from the few things his sister had told him, Gohan could be quite a hardass when it came to his teachings, showing no remorse or pity while you were about to collapse in fatigue. Yamcha hadn't been easy to deal with and both Sharpner and the Satan boy could still feel their muscles burning at the memories of the ex-bandit's workout routine. And while he didn't know what to expect of the slightly older man, all that Mark could think of was the incredible strength that Yamcha's training had already granted him. Who knew what he would be capable of after a few weeks as Gohan's pupil?

It would give him power unlike anything he had ever thought possible. He would be superhuman, a fighting machine, unstoppable.

If only it could give him the strength to stand up to his father...

Mark grunted and grit his teeth at the thought of Hercule. He still despised himself for selling out Videl, and his insides still turned to water every time the subject came to mind. The teenager felt grateful that nobody could properly see his features in the flickering light of the dancing flames, the pained expression on his face clearly reflecting his inner turmoils.

Just like his sister, he had been instilled with a sense of justice from a very early age, always choosing to do what was good no matter what anybody else thought. But now he was feeling conflicted, having to choose between bloodlines and wealth in the name of the family. He wanted to do what was good, but the promise of dimes by the dozen had shackled him down and held him in a suffocating grip. And it wasn't like he would be able to play both sides of the coin here. There was no way that he could tell Videl what their father was planning and get all the money that his heart desired.

_Unless..._

So far he had only considered either choosing Videl's side or his father's, but never did the thought occur that he might be able to play both sides of the coin. Come to think of it, it only seemed like the natural thing to do, right? If both parties were conflicted and there seemed to be no end to it, there had to be a compromise. Everyone would turn out happy with the results.

He felt a soft tug at the corners of his mouth, a small smile curling his lips for the first time in what seemed like forever. His sister would be eternally grateful, promptly bombarding him as the best big brother that had ever existed. And all the while through his father would be lavishing him with wealth and power, praising him on his achievements and turning him into the richest man on the planet. It all seemed better than a dream and frankly Mark suddenly wondered why he hadn't thought of it before, it was all so obvious.

Now the only question that remained was how he was going to achieve this. He couldn't simply go and tell Videl, nor could he go to his father without any actual results.

Feeling the fatigue of the day wash over him he put the thought aside, knowing that he had more than enough time to formulate a plan the next coming days.

He cast a glance over the company gathered around the campfire. Secretly he felt sorry for the lot. Both Freed and Katie seemed like they would never amount to anything in the world of martial arts, no matter how hard they tried or who would be training them. And of course there was Sharpener, the big oaf of a blonde that always seemed to be thinking two steps ahead, leaving the Satan boy to stand in his shadow. Yet, over the course of the past few days Mark had surpassed the jock in every way, leaving him battered and bruised after each and every spar.

He felt bad for the senseis too, really. If there was one thing that didn't seem easy to the boy it would be trying to teach an old and forgotten style of martial arts, something that the public booed and called 'trickery' and 'nonsense'.

Mark's gaze lingered on the new face in the crowd, the one who had introduced himself as Seventeen. For a split second he was certain that the mysterious stranger returned the stare, causing Mark to quickly turn his head to avoid those intense blue eyes of his. There was something about this young man that unnerved the teenager more than anything, though whether it was that deep ocean-colored stare or the collected aura of conceitedness, he didn't know. Something about this 'sensei' left him with an eerie feeling, something that felt like Seventeen wasn't completely normal, no matter how preposterous the idea might sound.

Suddenly, the Satan heir was snapped out of his train of thought when Katie's high-pitched giggles filled the night sky. He jerked his head to the side and noticed how the girl softly placed a hand on Videl´s shoulder, almost as if she saw his sister as a lifelong best friend.

"Mark, how about you?" Katie said, turning her attention to the raven-haired boy, who arched a brow in curiosity. Upon seeing his confusion she explained. "We were just talking about how it must feel to have such an incredibly rich father. Videl says that it can be quite difficult at times but I find it hard to believe."

Mark didn't fail to notice several sets of eyes staring at him with highest possible interest. The stares unnerved him slightly, causing him to turn his head away and let his gaze linger on the dancing flames of the campfire.

"Well," he sighed, his stare not leaving the the burning branches as he spoke. "I have to side with my little sister on this one, Katie."

He was sure that Videl had her mouth agape, or at least some sort of surprised expression on her face. For all she knew, he had always been so arrogant when it came to their last name. Being the son of the one and only Mister Satan was something to be proud of, something to make sure everybody around him knew about. He always loved to boast about their fortune, their riches, their wealth. And now here he was, declaring that being one of the richest teenagers on the planet could actually be seen as a burden.

A tiny smile tugged on Mark's lips as he watched the little embers dance and play, carried around by the cool evening breeze, leaving their soft dim lights to glow like fireflies in the darkness. It soothed him in a way, a welcome feeling after so many stressful days and nights.

"I mean," he continued his monologue without really paying attention to his peers, his train of thought passing over his lips freely. "At first it seems like the best thing in the world and to some degree it is. You can go through life without any worry on your mind since your dad doesn't mind paying for everything. Hell, I barely even had to raise a finger throughout my entire childhood if I wanted to; our servants would see to it as soon as I snapped my fingers."

The teenager grabbed a branch a few feet away and poked around in the campfire, heaving a joyful sigh as the flames began to blaze anew. From a distance Videl watched in awe as her brother's eyes shimmered in the light of the dancing flames, their normal oceanic stare holding an unusual amount of emotion.

"It's funny how something like that gets to your head," Mark said softly as he tossed the branch onto the pile and watched it burn to a crisp. "Everybody always wants your attention, they always give you praise, affection. It gives you the feeling that the whole world is at your feet. Combine that with a level of skill in martial arts and you have the perfect mix for an ego blown out of proportion..."

He had to stifle a laugh, amused by his own past stupidity.

"...with your head so far up your own ass, you fail to notice that the people you call friends only like you for the money on your bank account." The teen's eyebrows momentarily knitted together in a frown. "They continue to suck up to you and lick your heels, but when they notice that nothing is actually up for grabs, they bolt and you never hear from them again. Because that's all that today's society revolves around: Money."

A soft gust of wind blew over, lifting the boy's raven locks into the air and making the campfire's flames dance. He remained silent until the wind had subsided and only the crackling sound of wood burning remained.

"It's sad to see that the people of this planet are all so obsessed by a few paper bills and coins." Mark couldn't help but chuckle at the remark, each and every word a reflection himself more than anyone. "Money rules everything, without it you're nothing. If you don't have a minimum of a five figure income you're not taken seriously as a member of society, you don't have a right to speak. And people go to amazing lengths to gain their wealth."

"They steal," Mark began to sum up, "they betray each other, they lie, commit fraud. Some of them even kill for the spare change in someone's pocket. And why? All so they can cry the tears that their shallow existence brings forth behind the wheel of their brand new Bugatti instead of on a bicycle. They want to feel what it's like to be able to buy everything that your heart desires, yet in the end it turns out that it's not all that it's cracked up to be." Even the deaf would've been able to hear the sudden acidic bite in the boy's tone as he ended his monologue. After that he kept silent and his gaze never turned away from the flames, not until he finally stood up to go and sleep.

All through her brother's monologue Videl had sat and listened with the greatest possible interest. Throughout her life, Mark had never shown a sign of weakness and had been lead by his enormous ego, but during his rant the Satan girl could swear that she saw something different about him, something deeper than his sudden change of heart. His eyes had betrayed him.

Heaving a tired sigh Videl stood up from her spot by the campfire, stretching her limbs as she stood upright. She bid everyone a good night and made her way to her sleeping spot, all the while trying to anticipate what her next day of training under Seventeen's wing would be like. Whatever it was, she wouldn't exactly say that she was excited.

* * *

><p>Hercule slowly rocked in his chair as he eyed the glistening white full moon off in the distance. It wasn't glamorous by any means but it appeared fine, almost like how he had been the last few weeks. As he poured himself a glass of whiskey, he couldn't help but stare at the barely visible craters on the moon hypnotically.<p>

It was interesting how an object so beautiful could have so many imperfections, yet they only added to the mysterious look of the bright orb in the sky. The moonlight was rather dull at the moment but it provided just enough illumination for him to enjoy the nice glass of alcohol on the table beside him.

Firmly grasping the expensive glass, he slowly swirled the drink as he rocked back and forth. The past few days hadn't been all that great for him. His children had essentially left him and run off to another dojo. More than anything, more than any student leaving, more than any damage to his public image, that hurt him the most.

Like most under the media's eye, they were weren't a perfect family and Hercule never really expected them to ever be one. The twins had both lost their mother in childbirth and it had been a rough ride for the first few years of their life until Hercule really started to place in martial arts tournaments. By the time they were eight, it was a common occurrence for him to reach at least the semifinals in each tournament he entered. Along with it came money which helped him support himself and his children financially but the one thing that money couldn't buy was another mum.

Even now, it was clear that Videl lacked any true female role model; she had no-one to really look up to save for himself. And if he was going to be honest, he wasn't exactly the best person to look up to, especially with the quarrels that he'd had with his youngest as of late. She never really looked towards her older brother for anything simply because he showed her up in almost every way possible, something Hercule had always been aware of but had never done anything about. It wasn't as though he could punish his own child for being good at martial arts, but he had only recently become painfully aware of the effects that it'd had on his two children.

Videl distanced herself from them, from the name Satan. In every possible way she preferred being her own person. While Mark relished in spending hours and hours in the dojo, she started doing police work by the time she was sixteen. While Mark enjoyed attending red-carpet events with trophy girlfriends and making friends with those with wealth on their side, Videl went and befriended people on the lower end of the social scale. He supposed it was somewhat his fault for sending the two of them to a public school but in the end, he had to say that Videl's friends had stood the test of time while Mark's ones were never there when the young man needed them. It was no surprise that his oldest had become a lone wolf in the last year or so, opting to spend even more time in the dojo than having a social life.

He took a sip of the whiskey, savouring the wonderful burning sensation as it flowed down his throat. His actions as of late were questionable and Hercule couldn't help but feel that he hadn't been the greatest parent he could be to his children. Perhaps it was the alcohol talking but he couldn't help but feel a little guilty for pitting Mark against his little girl the way he had, but it wasn't as though he had any better options.

As much as he didn't like the thought of Videl dating anyone, that wasn't what had driven him to propose such an offer to Mark. As great as the other dojo was, it wasn't as though he could have Videl crossing over to it. While it felt like a stab to his heart to know that his child, who wasn't so small anymore, did not think his own father had anything left to teach him... or that he was an incapable sensei, the bad publicity and the buzz that the media would give his dojo and himself would damage his otherwise clean profile.

That generally wouldn't have been much of a problem, a little bad press was something that any decent celebrity had dealt with, but coupled with the fact that he had already lost almost one fifth of his students to the other dojo, it would certainly cause him to lose the majority of the rest. Mark had almost already crossed over himself. While the soon-to-be heir was not an official member of the dojo, he had been invited to several training sessions and had already learned how to use the thing they referred to as "Ki".

He raised the glass to his lips once more as he allowed the cold liquid to slide down his throat. Grunting slightly, he thought about where his dead wife would be at the moment. Perhaps looking down on her children in joy at what they'd grown to become, martial artists almost as strong as him, or maybe smiling at the notion that he'd not changed one bit despite all the years. He bowed his head in shame as he thought of all the ways that his children could've turned out better if they had a maternal figure in their life. If only he had remarried or something... just maybe things would've turned out better.

But no, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to replace her. It hurt but he had to do what he had to do, be it keeping himself happy by staying faithful to his wife or by making sure the Satan name wasn't tarnished by the media.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: This chapter was brought to you by Kaka and Kaleb.<strong>

**For those who addressed concerns as to whether or not Seventeen didn't come back to life after the Cell Saga, the manga, anime and wikia state that he was alive to give Goku his energy to launch the Spirit Bomb against Kid Buu.**

**We hope you enjoyed and any feedback would be much appreciated.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Team Dragon Star does not own DBZ.**

**Brought to you by Kakarot Son and kalebxdd**

…

"Now, go!" yelled Gohan as Mark grit his teeth, punching forward with all his might. The demi-Saiyan didn't even wince as he caught the blow with his left hand, before twisting the Satan boy's arm around and then prodding his wide open chest. "You've got a big hole here."

"I know," acknowledged Mark. "If I were fighting anyone else, it would've worked as a trap."

"Well you're not," reminded Gohan as his body relaxed. Taking a steady step closer to Mark, he moved the man's left hand closer to his chest and instructed him to spread his feet a little further apart. "It helps with your stance," explained Gohan. "You can spring forward a little faster since your legs won't be so close together."

"That's not really a good thing either," countered Mark. "I mean if my body weight is spread out too far, wouldn't that make it harder for me to resist a hit?"

"Theoretically, yes," nodded Gohan, immediately recognising that his new student had an appreciation for the tactical side of things. "However sometimes the best wall is one that can be rebuilt the quickest."

"That's not a good wall at all," Mark claimed. "I know I'm no teacher or anything but something that can be rebuilt so quickly is surely flimsy."

"Actually," said Gohan, "you have to consider the context. Say you're getting hit by a steamroller. It's not going to matter how strong your wall is. What does matter though, is how quickly you can rebuild the wall to prevent the aftermath from having too big of an impact on you."

"So you're saying rather than resisting a blow, I should let someone strike me so that I can raise my guard quicker again?" questioned Mark suspiciously. "It sounds like a good idea but I'm still kinda iffy..."

"No," chuckled Gohan as he glanced at Mark's feet, prompting the student to quickly do the same. "If you look at where your feet are now positioned, you can alternate between both."

"Both?" asked Mark, unsure of what the new teacher that had been thrust upon him was thinking of.

"Yeah," answered Gohan. "If you think about it, you can swap between resisting and not-resisting blows if you have your body in a middle ground between the two. I reckon that's a style which would suit you pretty well and by the sounds of it, you haven't given it a shot before either."

"Nope," confirmed Mark. "Dad always was a firm believer in just flat out blocking, evading where possible, and then being able to strike back with more force."

"That's not a bad technique," Gohan closed his eyes a little. "However it does depend on the individual, someone who's more strength-orientated would benefit from it, whereas someone like your sister, who is more-speed orientated would benefit from a style that would be more focused on rebuilding the wall quicker than just having one sturdy one."

"So where would I fit in?" questioned Mark, seeing the logic in Gohan's words but unable to see how it applied to him.

"You're what I'd assume a mix of your father and sister," replied Gohan. "While it's just a rough guess from the little spar we had a while ago, you're not particularly strong yet, you're not particularly fast. However you're not weak in either area, so you're probably the closest thing to an all-rounder in your family."

"So is that supposed to be a bad thing?" Mark asked curiously, "From the sound of it, you're not all that approving of it."

Gohan's eyes softened a little at being called out on the critical tone which had overcome his voice. "No, it's a good thing alright. Well, not to say that being specialised is a bad thing either, but it's generally best to be a jack of all trades as opposed to just being a master of one."

"So what would you say you are, then?"

"Hmm... that's a tough one," smiled Gohan, pleased that his new student was posing fairly interesting questions. It tickled both sides of what his parents had raised him to be, the scholarly-side of him held a fine appreciation for the tactical side of them while the fighting-side enjoyed its practical applications. "I'd have to say that I'm an all-rounder like you. I started practicing martial arts from a young age so I'm adept at being nimble and evading blows, since I couldn't really take them back then, but I've also been told that I pack a mean punch."

"How old are you, anyway?" asked Mark, realising that he'd never really taken the light-hearted man's age into account. He looked to be anything from sixteen to his mid-twenties, but his knowledge and expertise indicated that the latter was probably the case.

"Nineteen, turning twenty in May actually," Gohan responded. "Think I'm 'bout the same age as you and your sister, right?"

"That's pretty ridiculous," said Mark, ignoring the small question Gohan had posed. "What're you doing as one of the lead-sensei in a dojo at your age?"

"Like I said, I started fighting from a pretty young age," Gohan answered truthfully. "For years at a time, it was really the only thing on my mind and living in the mountains, most of the people I knew could hold their own in a fight."

"I'll bet that Son Goku's friends could," Mark spoke bitterly. "They're all tournament veterans after all."

"Well, uhh... yeah," Gohan winced slightly, not expecting the Satan boy to have known about his heritage. "So I guess in time I managed to surpass a lot of them, kind of like young children and swimming."

"Makes sense," nodded Mark. "I started training when I was about seven, and Videl joined in when she was nine. I guess the only advantage you had was that your dad had already won one of the World Martial Arts Tournaments."

"That," Gohan bit his lip, knowing what he was about to reveal wasn't going to be taken lightly by the person in front of him, "and I kinda started training when I was four and a half."

...

Videl gasped wildly as she breached the surface, relieved to feel air flowing back into her lungs. She huffed once and sputtered a few drops of water from her mouth and swiped her thick raven locks out of her face. The scowl printed on her features was a dead giveaway of her sour mood.

A chuckle reached her ears. The sound of it only made her more agitated and made her jerk her head up to reveal its source. Seventeen was lazily lounging high up in a tree by the brook of the river, a smirk curling his lips as he leaned his back against the thick trunk with his eyes closed. Just the sight of it annoyed Videl to no end.

"Sweetie," her new sensei said in that irritating voice of his, the obvious mockery of it laced into its tone "Next time you decide to swing and miss, you should try to avoid the river; it might save you some wet clothes." The dark-haired man jumped from his branch and plummeted down to the earth below, using his energy to land on the ground as lightly and gracefully as a feather.

"Like I don't know that!" Videl yelled as she swam back to the edge of the water, hoisting herself up and rolling onto solid land. She exhaled deeply and shivered as the cool breeze made her clothes feel like sheets of ice on her body. "You were just playing dirty!"

"Was I?" Seventeen exclaimed with feigned surprise. He slowly walked over to the girl he was to train in the ways of martial arts. "Cause it seems to me that all I did was avoid that flying kick you tried to swing at my head. That the river happened to be there to break your fall is your own problem."

The small crimefighter sent him a glare that would cut right through any normal human being, yet Seventeen didn't even flinch. He just smirked the way he always did ever since Videl had laid eyes on him the first time. It kind of unnerved the girl how those mesmerizing, icy blue orbs of his always looked at you with greatest amusement, mixed with just a little bit of pity.

Whoever this guy was, he certainly wasn't normal. Not that it was normal for any human being to fly around and dodge high kicks at the speed of light, but Videl had gotten used to that by now. What was peculiar, however, was the fact that whenever she tried to scan his Ki level she found that it was absent. Whenever she reached out to for her former sensei's Ki she would immediately ease up at the feel of the relaxed flow. With Seventeen though, there was absolutely nothing to feel at all. It was like he wasn't even there with her, even while he would be standing two feet away from her.

Another thing that Videl had learned about the young fighter was that he was a major pain in the ass. Never before had she had the 'pleasure' of meeting someone so incredibly obnoxious and so full of himself; Sharpener and Mark weren't able to hold a candle to this guy. Every time he opened his mouth something smug or offensive about her would pass his lips, causing the raven-haired teen to grow more and more annoyed with every word he spoke. She knew that she would take great satisfaction in landing a solid blow across his cheek, but unfortunately he was too damn fast.

Videl rose back to her feet and shook her hair around, droplets of water flying in every direction as she did so. Seventeen tutted softly, showcasing his disappointment.

"I thought you were a teenage girl," he chuckled, arms folded in front of his chest in nonchalance. "So why are you shaking your fur out like some sort of dog?"

"Oh, just shut up!" Videl hissed at him in reply. She stomped past him angrily and bumped her shoulder into him, doing her very best not to cry out. It was like walking into a block of steel-protected concrete. She found herself a spot in the sun as dropped down to the soil below to let the warm rays dry her clothes and body. Once again she heard her sensei tut and she had to repress to urge to spew out every curse word in her vocabulary.

"So, we're scheduling our own breaks now, are we?" Seventeen queried with the lift of an eyebrow. "Get off your lazy butt, we have work to do!" The sudden bite in his voice caught the Satan girl off guard for a moment, but she wasn't planning on being treated like some sort of lackey.

"Now listen up!" Videl snapped as she jumped up rapidly. "You may be my teacher, but if you think that I'm just going to let you insult me all day then you're wrong! Who do you even think you are, talking so high and mighty?"

The mysterious man swiped a lock of hair from his face and gave a chuckle. "Does that really matter? I'm the teacher and you are the student, just like you said," His eyes gave her that pitiful look that she resented so much. "Besides, I know who you are, Videl Satan, daughter of the biggest oaf to ever walk the face of the earth."

A vein in the crimefighter's temple popped. "Screw you!" she yelled, stepping up to Seventeen until their foreheads practically touched. "You have never even met my father! Yes, he may be awkward from time to time, but that doesn't just give you the right to talk about him like that!"

A staredown followed, neither one of the two contestants breaking eye contact.

"What were you planning on doing about it then?" the sensei eventually said in his usual mocking tone. "Hit me? You know that you can't even lay a finger on me, so why even bother?"

"Ugh..." Videl growled, throwing her hands up in the air. This was going absolutely nowhere. "At least Gohan had to decency to treat me like a normal person!" she accused the man in front of her.

Seventeen sighed deeply and shook his head in disapproval. "You're still so keen on getting Gohan back as your teacher, aren't you? You really are as stupid as I thought you were. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't even know how to spell my name."

That was it! Videl had seen more than enough of this guy. Her small hands balled into fists and before she even knew it she was throwing punches at the blue-eyed man's face, each one more aggressive than the last.

"I'll tell you how to spell your name!" she screamed, hurling another fist aimed at Seventeen's nose. "A... S... S.." Every letter that she spoke was accompanied by a blow strong enough to smash her sensei's skull in, hadn't he been avoiding each and every one of them. All in all it was the weirdest form of a Spelling Bee that anyone would ever have the honor of witnessing.

"H... O... L... E!" Videl couldn't prevent herself from screaming the last letter at the top of her lungs. Just to add insult to injury she charged a load of Ki into her swing and punched forward. Seventeen simply tipped his head to the side and evaded the projectile with ease, smirking as he heard it ram into the tree trunk behind him with enough force to tear right through the wood and send a storm of splinters to rain down on both of their heads.

Once again that smirk graced Seventeen's features, the one that made Videl want to wipe it off his face immediately. Yet, this time his eyes didn't look at her in pity and mockery. Now they held a strange kind of softness to them, something that the girl almost believed to be a look of approval.

"You may still be a stupid little girl," Seventeen laughed. "But I like the fire in you. It's good to see someone so feisty."

And that was when he landed one of the most painful blows to the stomach that Videl had ever felt, lunging her backwards several yards to come skidding to a stop and just barely hold her footing.

Strangely enough, she returned the wide grin her sensei was sending her. Perhaps she could still learn a thing or two from him.

…

"So what's Gohan like?" asked Videl, eager to not give her brother the chance to ask about the various bandages adorning her body.

"He's actually pretty good," answered Mark as he laid back on room's cool floor. They had been given a little downtime before dinner and the pair of twins were using it to allow their bodies to have some well needed rest. "How about that other guy?"

"Seventeen?" questioned Videl as Mark gave a nod, "He's a mix between an asshole and a slave driver."

"Sure it's not just you, you always were a feisty one," teased Mark as Videl stuck out her tongue.

"Well it paid off, didn't it?" she asked rhetorically before answering her own question without skipping a beat, "I'm stronger than you now after all."

"'Course you are," laughed Mark. "I know Gohan's a great sensei and all but there's no way he would've been able to close the difference in skill between us."

"I'll have you know that I can use a mystical energy that you've probably never heard of," she said smug and equally childish. Despite all the years that had passed by, the never ceasing sibling rivalry they had was something Videl was sure would never fade.

"Ki?" Mark chuckled, his worries all forgotten in the moment. Upon seeing the dumbfounded look on Videl's face, he sat up and continued, "I learned how to use that ages ago."

"Well at least I didn't lose to Sharpner!" exclaimed Videl, uncaring for how hurt her friend would've been had he been present.

"At least I didn't get separated from my boyfriend," grinned Mark, knowing that he had hit something of a sore spot at the girl's reaction.

"He's not my boyfriend!" yelled Videl as she threw her hands up into the air in frustration.

"Sure, sure," he said sarcastically, before deciding to let their little verbal feud settle. "Why don't we fight it out once and for all later?"

"What, you mean like an all-out spar?" questioned Videl as she met her brother's cunning brown eyes. "We've had plenty of those, how's this going to be different?"

"Well aside from the fact that I won almost every one of those without much trouble, this'll be the first time we're using Ki in a fight," answered Mark. Resisting a petty argument or show of sibling dominance when he was around his sister was like being a moth trying to ignore a flame.

"You're on," grinned Videl as she smashed a gloved fist into her other hand. "I'll prove that I'm the stronger one once and for all."

"We'll see," said Mark as his eyes glistened, the fire within him that had slowly been smoking out throughout the last few days re-ignited.

...

"So why are we stuck on food duty again?" complained Videl as Seventeen threw several bags of carrots at her.

"Because someone needs to make food for everyone else," said Seventeen. "Be grateful that I'm helping you at the moment because from after this moment, all students will have to find their own food."

"What, you mean walk over to the little kitchen?" smirked Videl, "With all this martial arts training your putting us through, it's not like it would be a challenge for us to sneak some food out. There are like thirty of us that made it here and only like ten of you."

"Heh, say that you children did somehow manage to make it past us, I'm sure that what you'd find in there wouldn't be too pleasing to your eyes," chuckled Seventeen, in a manner that Videl noted was far more... diabolical?... than Gohan.

"I saw them carry in bags upon bags of food, so unless the rats have gotten to them I reckon we'll be fine."

"I'm fairly sure the food in there won't make it through the night," said Seventeen, an entertained glint in his eyes. "I take it you've not yet been acquainted with Gohan's appetite."

"Actually, I have," replied Videl, her mind wandering back to the time not-so-long ago that she had been at the Son's house for lunch. "But that's still a little excessive for him, and definitely not enough if all you senseis eat like pigs."

"He's gonna love that one, but I suppose you could say that we eat more than the average person. Even though I understand that it's hard for someone like you, who's been sheltered and loved all their life, to grasp the concept; working hard does build up an appetite," Seventeen said, easily slipping under the raven-haired girl's skin.

"Grrr... what makes you think that I've never worked hard before?" asked Videl, infuriated as she tore open the bag of carrots, chopping them quickly and unevenly as a means to vent her anger.

"Pfft, you're only daughter of the world's most _famous_ martial artist," laughed Seventeen. "You might think you've worked hard throughout your life but I really doubt you've done anything of the sort."

"You don't know anything about me," protested Videl, refusing to make eye-contact with the man as she tore into the carrots some more. "How could you possibly know if I've worked hard in my life or not!"

"You wouldn't be getting so worked up over it if it weren't true," said Seventeen as he leant against the bench, beside Videl.

"I've done work with the police force before," she replied curtly, "my life hasn't been gritty and horrible but that doesn't mean it's a picture book either."

"What did they let you do, beat up the bad guys after they took out all their weapons?"

"No because unlike you, I actually use my strength to help those who need it!" exploded Videl, "You make it sound like I'm completely useless and can't throw a punch to save my life."

"Well I'd disagree with you about the completely useless part, somebody's got to play dress up with those lonely dolls of yours," laughed Seventeen in a way that was as non-malicious as it was aggravating. "You'll have to prove to me that you're not just a spoiled brat, y'know."

"Ugh... what about you, though?" asked Videl, pressing further when the black-haired man merely glanced back at her with a confused look. "You were probably just as spoiled as you're making me out to be."

"That's a pretty big accusation for such a small girl," chided Seventeen. "All it sounds like is that you know there's truth behind my words, so you're getting upset."

"Fine then," responded Videl. "Prove it."

"Prove it?" Seventeen repeated, unable to understand what the Satan girl meant.

"Yeah, tell me about your life," said Videl eagerly, as she discarded the knife in order to focus her attention on the man in front of her.

"Well, there's not all that much to talk about, I don't remember much of my childhood but..."

...

Icy blue eyes slowly began to fall shut, their normally piercing stare clouding up with sleep. Seventeen listened as the birds hummed their lullabies and the wind softly brushed the branches of the forest trees. The sound of the flowing water in the stream beside him soothed his mind, and made him want to drift off into a deep slumber.

Today had been fun, to say the least, but also tiring as hell. It had been the android's first official day of training with his new student, Videl Satan. The girl was a whole lot of fun to tease, especially with the way she always flared up every time he threw an insult or a demeaning joke at her. Seventeen had to admire her spitfire though; Videl was the type of person that knew what she wanted and would do anything in her power to achieve it.

But then again, he couldn't help but choke back wave after wave of laughter every time the thought of her father crossed his mind. The idea that she was the daughter of Hercule Satan, the greatest oaf of a man that the cyborg had ever seen, was simply hilarious. Obviously this meant that he just had to tease the little brat with this information. Getting on her nerves was just an urge that he couldn't repress.

Footsteps sounded and Seventeen's eyes flew open. Gohan was slowly walking towards his spot by the stream and gave a cheery wave. The other young man held up a hand out of what he considered to be politeness. It wasn't that he didn't like the demi-Saiyan, nor was it that he thought of Gohan a wimp like he had told Videl, but he had never been all that much interested in him. When he had been asked to help out with the dojo after the building had burned to ashes he had only agreed to the job because he had felt bored and needed something new to do.

"And exactly why did you decide to come and disturb my beauty sleep?" Seventeen smirked when Gohan halted in front on him.

"I'm about to jump in and catch us some dinner," the head sensei explained, pointing towards the stream of water. "I'll never be able to live on just berries and other greens, I need some meat!" He rubbed his rumbling stomach and gave a goofy grin.

"Videl, huh?" Gohan said as he began to pull his shirt over his head after quickly discarding both weighted wristbands. "Are you holding out with her? Isn't she making it too tough on you?"

The blue-eyed android had a good laugh at that. "Well, she's not that hard to contain. The question should be: is she able to hold it out with me?"

The demi-Saiyan tossed his shirt aside and arched a brow, curiosity in his features. "You aren't picking on her too bad, are you? I assume you already know about her short temper?"

Seventeen folded his arms in front of his chest and flipped the hair from his face. "Yeah, I've noticed." he chuckled. "She seems to think that you'll be back as her sensei in no time." When he saw Gohan's curious look he smirked. "I think she likes you dude, she keeps rambling on about you like you're the greatest guy in the world. Perhaps she thinks of you as her prince on a white horse."

A red tinge crept over the young man's features as he absentmindedly pulled the cord on his gi pants, dropping them to to grass and leaving him clad in his boxers. He remained silent afterwards, so Seventeen chose to drop the subject and let that statement gnaw at Gohan's mind for a bit. When the demi-Saiyan jumped in the water with a huge splash the cyborg got up from his spot and took his leave.

He had decided to give Videl the night off today, partially because her screaming and protesting had left him with quite a headache. Of course he couldn't help but look forward a little to yanking the girl's chain again tomorrow, but for now he would settle with a big piece of fish and a good night of sleep. As he slowly trotted back to camp he was already mulling over ways to irritate his student, a smirk curled around his lips. The next few days would definitely be promising...

…

**Author's Notes: For those who are interested, we are a group of collaborative writers who combine our efforts to bring you stories such as this one. We're an open group, meaning that _anyone_ can apply to join. Feel free to check out our forums, and perhaps apply to join the group, via the link on our profile. It's a great opportunity for those who would like to better their own writing skills and exchange skills of the trade with fellow authors, or to simply be more apart of a writing community.**

**Hope you enjoyed.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: Team Dragon Star does not own Dragon Ball.**

...

Videl attempted to bury her head further into the sleeping bag as the first rays of sunlight hit her face, however it was to no avail. The sounds of various birds chirping at irritatingly high-pitched levels soon had her standing up. As she groggily rubbed her eyes, she noted that several others were already awake.

Looking around the room, she saw the familiar faces of Freed, Kaitie, and a few others who she hadn't gotten around to meet quite yet. Videl looked around for a few more seconds searching for her brother before she realised that it was likely he and Sharpener were still asleep. Sliding out of her sleeping bag, she quickly ran her hands across her body in order to try and compensate for the loss of warmth that came with it before she leaned down the floor. Almost fighting with herself on the inside, Videl managed to convince herself to zip up her sleeping bag in order prevent the temptation of quietly sneaking back into her warm, comfy haven from arising.

Stifling a yawn as she stood up, she slipped on the fleece jumper which Chichi had lent her on the hike. It was a little big on her if she were to be honest with herself, but thankfully that meant that it also stretched down a little further; allowing her thighs to be slightly shielded from the cold, her thin shorts not helping all that much on the front. As she weaved around the few people who sat around the hall they had been sleeping in, acutely aware of the fact that all these people who still hadn't learned how to use Ki would be in for a hell of a ride, she made her way towards the door. It was astounding really, that there was such an amazing thing which she had never known about… the ability to wield her own energy, her own life force… who'd have thought it possible? With a grin that hadn't been visible in weeks, she stepped outside.

The raven-haired girl quickly rubbed her hands against their opposing arms in an attempt to shield them from the chilling cold that immediately made its presence known - it was far colder than the moderately cool air of the hall. Though she was still far from an expert on mountains, she had learned in the last few days that the weather would not warm up for a few hours despite how bright the sky would become in that time. The only thing she could do to keep herself warm, short of starting a fire, was to warm her body up with a little bit of exercise. Perhaps that wouldn't be a bad idea anyway, it had been quite a while since she'd been able to set her own training routine. As marvelous as Ki and the like sounded, going back to basics always held a certain alluring air of _enjoyability_ to it.

Trembling slightly, she dropped into a crouched position, and almost winced when her bare knee came in contact with the damp, lush grass. Shaking off the tiny shivers that it sent up through her spine, inch by inch, she raised her body slightly and pushed off into an all-out sprint with her right foot. Almost laughing to herself as her hair brushed against the wind, Videl pushed harder and picked up the pace, realising that she was able to do so with unnatural ease. It felt great to finally let go of all the controversy and trouble that had encircled her for the last week or so.

As she was running, her eyes caught on to the icy tips of the several blades of grass below her and while she was tempted to pause and admire them - in Satan City, if the grass was any colour but green, it was covered in a thick blanket of snow - she continued after pushing the thought away. Suddenly coming to a halt before a tree, she turned around, and blue eyes scoured along the open, grassy field while attempting to calculate how far she had travelled. Six hundred - no, seven hundred metres? Realising that she was absolutely hopeless at measuring distances, Videl chuckled a little. What did it matter? Attempting to catch her breath, she raised her arms over her head and stretched them gently to the tune of singing birds in the treetops above her. Without a second thought, she launched off into another sprint in the direction she had come from.

Repeating the process for a while, her mind drifted towards the strange turn of events that had occurred. Without a doubt, the strangest thing was her father appearing at the training grounds of one of his biggest rivals and demanding that his children swap instructors... not too long after she had acted like a brat and walked away from home with Gohan.

Then there was Mark, she couldn't quite put her finger on it but her brother had been acting differently. She wasn't sure what it was but things had been quite weird where her elder twin was concerned; she'd seen something of a glimpse into it by the campfire the other night. However the off-putting thing was that he'd been almost fine with challenging her to a fight the previous evening, just like when they were little. Well, if she _was_ going to be honest, even into their late-teens they had been guilty of arranging some kind of physical contest every few months.

With a sigh, she allowed herself to slow down a little before stopping completely. Extending her arms in another stretch, she panted heavily as she thought of her new instructor; he was something else. In many ways, everything Gohan was not... Gohan was nice and kind, Seventeen was arrogant and didn't mind getting in her face. Yet at the same time they were both so similar; it didn't take a genius to tell that neither would harm a soul. Well, Gohan at least. She had no doubt that if an injured chipmunk was sprawled across the floor in some random forest the boy would nurse it back to health. Seventeen on the other hand… he was more likely to quietly watch over the chipmunk and blast everything that came near it until it could move again.

The last few days had certainly been odd, but Videl was excited. Not to see what Seventeen was like as a teacher, or to see how Mark and Gohan would react to each other. She wasn't excited to fight Mark either, she was merely looking forward to the future. It had been a while since things were looking as up as they had been lately, and while she was sure that she would miss having Gohan as her sensei, the rational part of herself told her that she'd be seeing him often enough around the campsite anyway. Besides, for some reason, Seventeen had her interested.

Videl took a deep, steady breath and rubbed the last bits of bleariness out of her eyes, smiling in satisfaction when she noticed her frosty breath pour over the air in front of her.

* * *

><p>The last few steps to the campfire were the worst, by far. Sharpener's muscles protested heavily as he dragged his body the final two feet before half-collapsing to the soil below. A few weeks ago the blonde would've been certain that Yamcha's training regimen was the harshest thing he'd ever have to endure, but now he felt like he jinxed himself by thinking that way.<p>

When Hercule had suddenly stepped onto their new training grounds, bellowing loudly about swapping teachers, Krillin had been appointed as his new sensei. The bald monk had struck him as slightly more gentle than the ex-baseball player, so he had been happy to be under the man's wing. Unfortunately for him, now that he had a teacher to himself, the difficulty of his training had all but tripled, and at the end of each day he would wince at every simple movement. Krillin's lessons about ki-control were centred around quickly increasing the amount of energy in his body, as well as keeping it under control. It tired him out in every way.

Sharpener was able to stretch his arms above his head and yawn loudly. The teenager barely paid attention to what was happening around him; he simply stared at the roaring campfire. The flames, dancing in their beautiful dresses of blue and orange and yellow, soothed him, and the warm glow hugged his tender muscles. With a deep sigh, he managed to find some relaxation.

And relax he did... for two minutes at best. A loud groan of annoyance snapped him back to reality, just in time to see a very pissed-off Videl heading in his direction. When the small fighter girl stopped by the campfire, Sharpener sent her an amused glance.

"What?" Videl snapped when she saw the jock smirking. She sounded agitated, and Sharpener could only imagine that it had something to do with her new sensei. When he had seen the blue-eyed young man, he had shivered for a bit. Seventeen - if that was his actual name - was a force to be reckoned with, and he didn't strike the blonde like that much of a nice person either.

"Nothing," Sharpener replied. "I just figured you had a rough day."

Videl rolled her eyes. "You don't even know the half of it," she said, her voice still laced with irritation. "A year ago I would've said that my brother is the most annoying person in the world, but he's nowhere near as awful as that vain little prick."

"That bad, huh?" Sharpener concluded as he patted on the open spot beside him. "Come sit with me, and you can tell me all about how bad that douchebag is."

The raven-haired girl arched a brow at that. "Are you sure you want _me_, sitting next to you?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well because," Videl said, twiddling her thumbs in sudden unease. "I've done pretty much nothing more than beat you around ever since we've known each other."

"Eh, sticks and stones," the blonde replied. "Plus, it seems like you could use a friend right now."

The Satan girl sighed and took him up on his offer. "Well, where to start?" she began to contemplate. "Seventeen wouldn't exactly classify as my favorite person in the world. He's a downright jerk. It seems like he can't let a sentence go over those lips of his without making it sound either arrogant or demeaning."

Sharpener listened to the girl complain about her hellish day, and noticed from the corner of his eye how Katie and Freed sat next to each other on the other end of the burning pit. Mark was slowly trotting his way over as well, holding a big black case, which the blonde believed (it) contained a guitar.

"... sometimes I feel like all he cares about it whether or not his hair looks perfect," Videl rambled on. "When he does find the time to stop insulting me, he'll take shots at my dad, or at Gohan." The jock noted how she clenched her fists in a flash of fury. "It makes me want to bash his little pretty-boy face in more than anything, but I can never seem to hit him. He just dodges and kicks me in the ribs whenever I try."

"Ouch..." Sharpener commented, not knowing anything better to say.

"Yeah, for real," the crimefighter agreed. "A day will come where I'll get back at him, I'm sure, but until then I guess I just have to keep on trying."

Her friend snickered in amusement. "Ah, Videl, will there ever come a time where you won't be threatening to punch someone's face in?" He yelped slightly as the blue-eyed girl bopped him on the arm and glared at him weakly, without the normal death stare.

* * *

><p>Mark inhaled sharply as he boredly kicked the rock in front of him along the brown, dirt path. Gohan's training had been surprisingly… disappointing? The less experienced martial artist was unsure of how exactly to describe it but he knew that for all the hoorah his dad had been throwing about the <em>legendary son <em>of _Son Goku_, Mark had come to realise all too quickly that Gohan was just another one of them, another kid facing the trials of adulthood... At first anyone would mistake the Son for a young, kind man but Mark had had the pleasure of seeing through the mask that the boy wore.

He was kinder than any other _strong_ person Mark knew - there was no doubt about that - and the boy's bulkiness made him appear to be a few years older than he actually was. He apparently lived in the mountains too, making it rather clear to the Satan boy that Gohan hadn't had much experience with those his own age. There was no mistaking that the boy was confident but before long, after the first lesson or two, he'd seemed a little nervous in Mark's company. Not the scared kind or the anxious kind, rather the unsure kind; if they were talking, Gohan simply wouldn't know what to say next unless it related to martial arts. He didn't crack many jokes the way Yamcha did and he was a little too cautious for Mark's tastes.

At least whenever the bandit had Mark sparring against himself, he would never hesitate to strike the Satan or knock the wind out of him. Rather than pointing out a small flaw in his defence that could be exploited with a certain type of feint, diversion and light strike, the scarred man would have shown him and taught him a lesson laced with pain so that Mark would make sure to fix it next time. Gohan? He was like a textbook, he'd stop the _spar_ in its tracks - if it could even be called that - and then launch into a theoretical explanation in regards to how keeping both fists by his waist was a bad idea unless Mark was flexible and versatile enough to block an attack. He'd come to associate Gohan's very voice with something that almost put him to sleep as though he were a boring history teacher.

With a sigh, Mark kicked the rock harder, brown eyes watching unamused as it went a few metres to the right of the trail. Too lazy to fetch it, he continued along dragging his feet through the dusty path before he heard a familiar voice call out from behind him.

"Hey, Mark!" Videl called, looking surprisingly bright and cheerful. In fact, if he didn't know better he would've said that she was _glowing_ with excitement. "Wait up."

Exhaling a little, Mark stood still as he allowed his younger sister to catch up. What on Earth did she look so happy for, was she glad that she'd finally gotten rid of Gohan and his boring teaching methods? "What's up?" he asked a little un-enthusiastically.

"Nothing, I just saw you walking and figured I'd say 'hello'," she said as though she were making an excuse. Since when exactly had his little sister needed to make up an _excuse_ to just say "hi" to him?

"Oh," Mark said, although they could both tell that he wasn't nearly as excited as the illusion his voice had created. "That's cool, I take it you just finished a lesson with Seventeen or something?"

"I wouldn't call it a lesson," she scowled adorably in the exact same manner that she did ten years ago. "All he did was badmouth me every chance he got."

Oh… perhaps Gohan wasn't all that horrible after all. "Heh, it'd be hard for someone _not_ to do that," Mark took a quick little jab but he knew his heart wasn't in it. After all the decisions he'd been faced with, it was hard to do something so petty with enthusiasm.

"Watch it or you'll be the second arrogant bastard I clobber today."

"You do know that if I'm a 'bastard', you're technically one too right?" Mark teased, not even needing to spare a look at his sister to know that a red blush was creeping across her face.

"... Shut up."

"Heh, so how have you been fairing with this whole Ki thing?" He crossed his arms across his chest, interested to get another novice's point of view on the whole situation. He hadn't brought himself to ask Sharpner about it after that moron had bested him in literally every other activity the instructors had set out for them on their little camping trip not too long ago. "A bit surreal isn't it, to have something like that inside you?"

"It's pretty amazing," Videl admitted, "It's funny how I used to think that the most you could ever get out of martial arts was self-defence."

"What's changed? We can only maybe throw a super charged fist or two now," Mark said as the two began to head back towards the hall.

"Well for starters, one day we'll be able to fly!" Videl threw her arms up in the air in a manner that was very unlike her. She really was in a good mood. "That and I can't wait to shoot energy balls like Gohan could."

Mark snickered slightly and upon receiving a questioning look from her, he explained with a smug smile, "I've known how to do that for ages."

She merely stuck out her tongue, "Whatever… so how are you liking Gohan?"

"He's like a boring book-worm," Mark said with no holds barred.

"Don't say that about him," Videl attempted to defend her former sensei. "He really knows what he's talking about unlike dad and the senseis we had back at his dojo."

Mark smirked, having gotten a reaction from Videl that told him much of what he wanted to know before answering, "I guess, but if I wanted to hear about all this theoretical stuff I would've dug up a box of ancient scrolls."

"He's pretty strong though, right?" Videl was clearly trying to size up who exactly was the strongest between the two senseis she'd had.

"They all are," said Mark before he nodded, a dazzled look in his eye. "No doubt that he's the strongest of the lot though..."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: This chapter was brought to you by Kakarot Son and Kalebxdd.<strong>

**For those who are interested, we are a group of collaborative writers who combine our efforts to bring you stories such as this one. We're an open group, meaning that anyone can apply to join. Feel free to check out our forums, and perhaps apply to join the group, via the link on our profile. It's a great opportunity for those who would like to better their own writing skills and exchange skills of the trade with fellow authors, or to simply be more apart of a writing community.**

**Hope you enjoyed and please review.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Team Dragon Star does not own Dragon Ball Z.**

...

Videl threw herself to the side in a last ditch effort to avoid Mark's punch. Though she managed to avoid getting hit by her brother, the maneuver left herself slightly off balance which he immediately capitalised on.

Suddenly a flurry of what looked like Ki-enhanced jabs were sent her way, and the Satan girl only managed to half-heartedly throw up her left arm in order to prevent the full brunt of the attack getting through.

"Heh, you know you can't win," taunted Mark as he leapt backwards to catch his breath.

"I wouldn't bank on that," she said, panting as she too tried to catch her breath. She leapt forward within a moment's notice and attempted to smash her fist straight into Mark's gut but connected with his right fist as he blocked the blow.

Mark grinned as he took advantage of the girl's momentary surprise and used it to lash out with his left knee, making a solid connection with her right thigh. The younger Satan gasped in pain before she forced herself to sway to the right in order to dodge another one of Mark's blows, but it was to no avail as he followed through with a swift jab to her shoulder.

'_That's going to leave a bruise in the morning,_' thought the girl as she slid between Mark's wide-open feet, extending both of her arms so she could sweep her brother off his feet with her momentum. She grinned as she heard a thud behind her before she quickly spun around and leapt backwards, out of Mark's reach.

"Not bad," the older of the pair complimented as he stood up, brushing himself off. "But don't think you've seen the full extent of my strength either."

Videl's face cracked into a smile. "You weren't the only one who was taught that little Ki trick by Gohan."

"You mean the punches?" asked Mark as he coated his arm in Ki, a thin, light blue aura surrounding it.

His answer was a lightning fast flying kick to the stomach, the same technique he had just demonstrated having been replicated by his younger sister.

Videl capitalised on her successful attack by rushing the boy, using Ki to enhance her speed just as Gohan had taught her. It was ridiculous just how many practical applications enhanced speed had, barely even a third of what she realised she could now accomplish had occurred to her the other day when she had been running through the fields.

Mark was taken by surprise obviously as he struggled to keep up with the girl's blows, barely managing to block every fourth or fifth strike. Videl took a second to also note that the difference in speed made it difficult for _her_ as well; he was a little too slow for her to get the timing down right when she anticipated his next movement.

After what seemed like a few minutes, Videl's gasps for air intensified as she leapt backwards once more. Though a variety of bruises littered various parts of Mark's skin - Videl was well aware that he wasn't seriously hurt - she was arguably worse for wear. Her biceps felt as though they had been turned to jelly, since vast amounts of Ki had been pumped through them in a short period of time. Even moving her arm sent an odd numb sensation coursing through the rest of her arm.

She bit her lip in an attempt to hide the smirk that covered the entirety of her face as she admired her handiwork. Never before had she gotten the better of her brother in such a manner. "So do you want to call it quits?"

Mark wiped away a dribble of blood flowing down his chin, before he shot back, "I didn't think you would be forfeiting so early." As siblings, their verbal fights were just as important as their physical ones.

"C'mon, don't you think it's a little embarrassing to be beaten up so badly by a _girl_?" she mocked, hoping to hit Mark where he was normally most vulnerable - his ego.

"The fight is far from over," said Mark as he cracked his knuckles with a grin. "You've improved a lot Videl, but I think you'll find that I'm far from a one-trick pony."

The crimefighter was unsure of how to interpret her brother's words so she shrugged them off. "Alright, fine, but don't say I didn't warn you when you end up in the hospital."

Her taunt was met by silence. Videl looked towards her brother in confusion. Much like her father - and to be honest, herself - Mark never let such things pass by. However her eyebrows quickly furrowed as she saw a deep look of concentration on Mark's face.

She eyed him warily, staring at the open palm that he held in front of his eyes. Was this some kind of trick? Did he intend to draw her close and then smash that very palm into her nose or something of the like? She came to her own conclusion moments later when she saw the smirk her family was known for upon his face; he would never try to trick her with such an open face like that.

"It's been a good match, Videl," he said as he moved his open palm to the right of him. A small ball of blue concentrated energy appeared a centimetre above it and Videl's eyes narrowed in fear as she recognised it to be very similar to that destructive ball of Ki Gohan had shown her a while ago. "But this is where it ends."

…

"Good morning, sunshine!"

Why did Gohan always have to think of himself as funny? Mark opened his eyes to slits, still groggy and disoriented. His Sensei was hovering over him, smiling and obviously wide awake. Wherever Gohan had gotten his ideas of sunshine, he didn't know, but it was still far from dawn, he reckoned. The pitch-black skies told him that much.

Getting up required some serious rolling around and belly flopping, but soon enough the teenager found himself standing upright, rubbing the final remainders of sleep away with his knuckles.

Gohan stood waiting for him at the edge of their encampment, clearly as awake and alert as ever. While his student was still slouching and dragging his feet, the young man was nearly bouncing on his legs.

"Come, let's go!" the excitement was clear in his voice, like it had been a lot as of late. Perhaps it was seeing his trainees progress the way they did that made him so happy. "I don't want to waste any time today." Without informing Mark further, Gohan headed off, forcing the boy to pick up his speed and follow.

"Where are we going?" Mark knew perfectly well that it was a futile question to ask. when it concerned training, Gohan was as secretive as it could get, like knowing would equal failing. But then again, having to jog his way through the early morning darkness just so happened to pique his curiosity.

The expected silence followed. Both men continued their journey for a handful of minutes, until Gohan halted so abruptly that Mark bumped into him, not looking where he was going. He tried to simultaneously take in his surroundings and rub his shoulder, which felt like he had tackled a block of concrete.

They were in the middle of a decent-sized clearing. There was nothing special to distract the eyes, just moss and grass and trees everywhere. The whole atmosphere of the place was as tranquil as it could get; even the birds hadn't woken yet to fill the sky with screeches and tweets.

Without Mark's knowledge, Gohan had moved himself to the middle of the open space. When the Satan boy finally caught on, his breath held in his throat at the sight of his Sensei in a fighting stance.

It was a bit frightening, really. Gohan simply stood there, slightly bent knees and raised arms, palms open and ready to curl into fists. His dark eyebrows were furrowed ever so lightly, but his mouth was a smile, not a grimace. It exuded an air of confidence that could make the strongest of men piss themselves in fright. Mark scanned for any kind of flaw that could be broken or used to his advantage, but there simply were none. His stance was flawless.

"Gohan, what's the meaning of this?" Mark queried, raising his brows to show his confusion.

His Sensei chuckled softly, not moving an inch. "I've decided that today I want to see just how much you've progressed ever since Yamcha took you under his care."

Mark was leery of those words. The meaning of them rang true, but he wasn't so sure whether he wanted them to.

"S-So," he couldn't help but stumble at the prospect. "You want me to attack you?" His studied his teacher again, hoping that a second glance would show the spot where he'd be able to smash a dent in Gohan's defense.

Gohan chuckled again, his smile growing just a little wider. "With everything you've got."

Training in the Son Dojo had taught Mark many a helpful fighting tactics. the very first lesson that had been pounded into him, quite painfully, he might add, was that you should never rely on brute strength alone. He had held this ideology his father had taught him close to heart for nineteen years, until Yamcha had handed his ass to him so badly that he could still feel the scar on his dignity. No, tactical play was best.

The best strategy he had come across since his time under Gohan's wing had everything to do with keeping your guard up. For one, it was absolutely unacceptable for a warrior to spare himself even a single moment of distraction. A fighter had to be clear and focused, aware of everyone and everything. It should also be on the lookout for ways to work around his adversary's guard.

If anything, the most important element was the element of surprise.

Mark saw no other alternative. Gohan was just too aware and alert. Going for broke, he charged.

It proved to be just as futile as he had expected. The second he threw a balled fist at his Sensei's face, he felt his legs swing away underneath him. For a second, he tumbled and tumbled, nothing but air beneath his feet. As it turned out, his face got the honor of being acquainted with the ground. He'd still be plucking blades of grass from between his teeth at the end of the day.

This went on for a while. Dawn crept over them, rays of sunshine warming their skins and shedding light on the scenery. The clearing would've been absolutely stunning, had Mark been able to find the time and observe it. Unfortunately he found himself staring at trampled soil more often than not.

"Again." Gohan had barely said anything else over the entirety of the morning. Any else had been feedback on his fighting style, which, as it turned out, proved to be very helpful. As the bruises on his form continued to swell to the surface, so did the time that every one of his attempts took. Mark could swear he had even pushed Gohan a step back once.

The boy obliged, dashing at the still and immovable wall that was his master. He was careful not to lean into his steps, so he could jump in any direction at any given time. That was something he had learned after what was likely the fifteenth assault of his face against debris. He pulled his fist back when he was just out of range, throwing it forward immediately, hoping to strike true.

Gohan merely swatted his hand aside.

Mark jumped back, bouncing on the tips of his toes for a second or two. Then, he swung out his right leg, aiming at his adversary's face. When an arm was raised to block the blow, Mark feinted, swivelling on the ball of his foot and kicked outward. Gohan managed to stop him only just in time, a hand pressed flat against his broad chest.

"Very good!" the young man complimented. "But you're not trying hard enough! Again!"

Over the past twenty-five tries or so, Mark had been feeling irritation beginning to boil inside of him. What enraged him even more was his own anger, stupid as it may sound. His proper sense of thinking was beginning to slip away from him, replacing itself with a burning desire to bash Gohan's skull in. Just as Gohan threw him, yes he actually _threw _him into a tree, Mark tried a different approach.

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. With every breath he felt the stiffness in his form diminish. The anger remained, but he forced it into his limbs with a sense of tranquility. He would let his anger be his guide, alright, but that didn't mean he could let it take him over.

Gohan stood across from him, smirking, just leaning against a tree like nothing had just happened.

"What's the matter," he said. "Giving up already? You haven't even been a decent challenge to me! I was hoping to let you taste the forest floor a few more times before the end of the day."

Mark ignored the words, raising himself up to his full length. He returned Gohan's grin, which grew wider as he saw his Sensei's waver, but only a little. He sprang on the balls of his feet, upping the tension between the two. Certainly it had to be Mark to make the first move.

So he did. He went for Gohan, again, but this time with a little more restraint than usual. He kept his body leaning back at all times, so he could throw his form back quickly to avoid any oncoming blows. When he was only half a foot away, he punched once. It was blocked by Gohan, obviously, as the martial artist crossed his arms in front of his chest, letting the hits land on his lower arms.

Mark saw his chance in this. He punched again, and again, and again. Soon this fists began to flurry, striking that exact same spot over and over and over again. Gohan stood his ground as well as he could, but Mark sent every bit of frustration that he could pull from within himself to his bruised and by now bloody knuckles. Slowly, Gohan began to slide backwards onto the dead leaves and twigs. Only a few millimeters at once, but still, he was forced off his spot. When you accounted that, along with Mark not giving him a chance to switch to offense, and suddenly the Satan boy had all the advantage.

Nothing about what Mark did he left over to random chance. Every hit was calculated, aimed with deadly precision. He never strayed from his objective; 'punch his face in, smash his nose...'

Then, as he noticed Gohan clenching his teeth with effort, he feinted. Once again his fist sailed at that now bruised spot on Gohan's arms, but it shot upwards right before impacting. He hit home, hard.

Bones crunched loudly as Mark smashed Gohan's nose in. A fountain of blood exploded underneath his fist, mingling with his own blood on his knuckles. Gohan stepped back, clearly dazed, clutching the now broken mess of cartilage that was his nose.

He had done it, he had actually managed it. He had landed a blow on Gohan, and what a hell of a blow it had been. His attention wavered due to his enthusiasm, so he only noticed the elbow dropping on his shoulder when it was too late. The hit landed so hard that he actually screamed.

"Bery, bery good, young grashobber," his Sensei said, muffled by the crimson liquid trying to drip into his mouth. A few stray drops of it fell to the leafy floor below.

"What do you mean, 'very good'?" Mark groaned, a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah I hit you, but you hit me at least twice as hard."

Gohan snorted his nostrils, freeing his airways of whatever blood and mucus still remained. When he spoke again, his voice was much clearer.

"Ah yes, I did, but like you said, you hit me as well," Gohan told him. "And what exactly did you do to achieve this?"

"It was actually really easy," Mark confessed. "I just used my anger as fuel instead of a personality trait. It made my head clear and see a lot of things differently, more effectively." He gratefully took Gohan's offered hand, rising from the ground.

"Why yes indeed, young grasshopper," the Sensei said. "You, my pupil, have learned to always keep your eyes on the enemy, and your mind as well, no matter how furious you may be. You, Mark Satan, have learned the art of Tranquil Violence."

…

"Teach me how to shoot fire balls."

Seventeen's curiosity had now officially been tickled. Here his newest student was at what he could only guess was close to six o'clock in the morning demanding to be taught a new technique.

"Fire balls?" asked Seventeen, his eyebrow raising in a show of amusement. "I think someone is beginning to mix up comic books and their Ki training."

If Videl was frustrated, she didn't show it. "Mark and I had a spar, he shot this ball of Ki at me - it looked like a fireball."

"Ah did Gohan perchance teach him a technique that he did not teach you? Maybe you aren't as strong as you think," Seventeen teased with a grin. "Or perhaps you're not his favourite student anymore."

She grit her teeth slightly before retaliating. "It could also be that he's one hell of a better teacher than you, you've barely taught me anything in the time we've had together."

"I'll have you know that my teaching methods are just fine," said Seventeen before muttering, "It's just that they're not as effective when I'm teaching weaklings."

"Let's test it then," Videl said a little too eagerly, a hint of realisation flashing across Seventeen's face as he understood that she had lured him into this position. "If I don't learn how to fire these balls of Ki before the end of the day with your instruction, I'm a bad student, but if I do, you're a lazy teacher."

"Considering that it took the first humans years to summon Ki externally, I'm sure we'll discover the truth when you fail miserably."

Videl wasn't phased. If Mark could do it, then so could she.

…

"Heh not bad," chuckled Seventeen as he nodded his head, acknowledging the small wisp of smoke floating away from Videl's palm. "You've still got a long way to go however, try and not let go of your Ki the second it materialises in your palm."

"It's not as easy as you're making it sound," groaned Videl. If anything it was like attempting to grab hold of a tiny, slippery needle in a large haystack. Finding her Ki source was hard enough already and occasionally she lost track of it all together, but even if she did lay your sights upon it, the real challenge was pulling it out. "It's so much easier when I'm using it to enhance my muscles or something."

"Probably because that's just you moving it around through your body," mused Seventeen. "When you let go of it then, while some will still dissipate, a fair chunk will return to you which makes it easy to draw on again and also is far less taxing on your energy reserves."

She nodded to her new Sensei before tuning him out and attempting to draw her Ki out once again. The sun had almost fully set and twilight was quickly fading, but the amount of time she had spent trying to create a ball of Ki was hardly indicative of the effort she had put into each attempt.

This time around she couldn't even feel the warm pulsating feeling that slowly increased in intensity as she drew closer to her core, just a strange, tingling sensation that found its way to every limb. She could easily envision this as a sort of river, a constant stream of energy that flowed through her like blood.

She got to her feet, somewhat shakily, and patted the dirt from her knees. She stretched her arms above her head, yawning. The last light of the day was starting to fade already, giving the skies a deep and beautiful amber hue.

"Oh, so I figure we're done training for the day?" Seventeen chided. "The real exercise hasn't even begun yet." He was leaning against a tree, his arms crossed in that pompous manner that made Videl want to punch his face in. Somehow, it didn't irritate her as much as it used to.

"Yes, training is over for today," Videl said, stalking away towards camp. "I'd love to try and squeeze some more invisible forces from every hole, but right now all I can think of is getting something to eat and a few hours of sleep. So if you don't mind, I'm going to get some well deserved rest."

Seventeen sighed. "Fine, go, but only because you've been showing good work today."

"Right," Videl nodded. "I'll keep in mind that I have to ask for your permission before I do anything. Boy will you be annoyed, every time I call you when I have to cross the street."

"Don't push it," he bit back at her, but not without a smile.

"Yes mother."

"Hey, I'm warning you! Don't ever dare call-"

"Yes, I know, I know," Videl said, now laughing freely. She looked up at Seventeen, to those blue eyes that were always so scarily vacant. They didn't seem so empty now, more amused.

Before she walked away to their mutual camping site, she spoke to him once more.

"Hey, I know I can be stubborn and everything, but I still appreciate you training me. I guess, what I mean to say, is thank you."

"No problem, kid," Seventeen said. "But I mean it, don't ever call me mother again."

...

His muscles were sore, his bones were sore; everything simply hurt like a bitch. Mark winced as he pulled his feet up by the fire. After he had managed to break Gohan's nose, quite effectively, he might add, his teacher had resorted to the usual workout routines. Only with Gohan it was anything but normal.

It was dark already, but the fire was very pleasant and inviting. The two of them had decided to eat in solitude tonight, to enjoy a bit of peace for once, instead of having to throw themselves into the ruckus that always came with the end of the day. Right now everyone at camp would be dragging around sleeping bags, personal items and toilet accessories, running amuck like chickens without heads.

Gohan was staring into the flames, seemingly deep in thought. The way he ate a sausage from his poke without even regarding it seemed almost automatic. Mark wondered if he even registered the taste.

Over the last few days, Mark had truly learned to understand Videl's appreciation for this guy. Despite the fact that he still had an aura over him that the Satan boy couldn't entirely place, Gohan had the gentlest heart he had ever had the pleasure of knowing. That, and the most air-expelling gut punches he had the displeasure of being acquainted with as well.

"Hey Gohan," Mark said, effectively grasping his Sensei's attention. "I was wondering, how is my sister as a student?"

Gohan smiled at that. "Well where do I begin?" he acted as if to count on his fingers. "At first she was hostile and leery, never giving me the benefit of the doubt. So, very much like you. Secondly, she gave up on hating me from a distance and just did her best to break a limb or two. So, again, a lot like you. And, like you, she slowly realized that all I wanted to do was teach her in Martial Arts."

Mark snickered despite of himself. "Yeah, it's almost like we're twins or something."

Gohan laughed with him. "Yeah, you really are something else," he confessed. "I must say, I don't think I've ever seen anyone this determined to break my nose. One of you two actually succeeded." He pointed at the jutting and spiky form that had been his nose a few hours prior. He had patched it up with a few strips of bandages and had then immediately continued to brutalize Mark in his workout. How he did it was a mystery.

"But, you know," Mark hesitated. "Do you... like her?" the question had been on his mind for quite the amount of time; he hadn't missed how Videl had always tried to cover up the dreamy gaze in her eyes whenever she spoke of Gohan.

His Sensei's lips curled into a soft grin. "I knew you would ask me that at some point."

Mark was impatient. "And?"

"In all honesty," Gohan bit a chunk off a sausage. "I don't really know. No matter how much strife you have with your sister sometimes, you have to admit that she is a really amazing person."

Mark nodded his consent to this. True, Videl was perhaps the most determined person he had ever known. It was one of those few things where she made him fall into the shadows.

"She told me how you kept beating her four years in a row," the other mused. "She said it with such ferocity that I was sure she would be the best one day. Her perseverance is in the least to say admirable."

"Yes," the boy agreed again. "But what of her other qualities? You don't seem like a man with a short temper."

"Who knows?" Gohan said, chuckling. "But, if you really want the honest truth, I can tell you under one condition."

"And that is?"

"You tell this to no one," Gohan said, half a stern look in those dark eyes of his. "I don't want any feelings to get hurt and I also don't want any misunderstandings."

He nodded.

Gohan exhaled, as if he had something heavy to get off his chest. "I might, okay?" he confessed, shrugging. "For one I'm not really certain; I've never been the romantic type to begin with. She's very special to me though, in her own way. Sure, I might like her because she's an independent, pretty girl, but that's not all there is about her."

Gohan's eyes began to sparkle a little; Mark could see it even in the dark of night.

"What I mean to say is," Gohan needed a moment to find the right words. "She's very unique. She's fierce and strong, but she had a great sense of judgement. She might have a bit of a temper, but once she gets to know you she really is the sweetest thing. You know, when she's not trying to crush my skull."

Mark laughed, hard. "Yeah, I understand completely. Don't worry yourself over it. If you like her, you'll know that soon enough."

"I suppose so," the Sensei said. He sighed. "Just look at me, master of the Martial Arts, getting girl advice from that very girl's twin brother. Life is strange sometimes, isn't it?"

"You can say that alright." Silence fell, which Mark used to contemplate Gohan's words. So he liked her, quite obviously. Perhaps he didn't see it himself yet, but time would bring the two together. If needed, he'd change his name to time and do it himself.

Realizing this, he silently wondered to himself how he could have ever agreed with a single standpoint of his father. Gohan wasn't dangerous to Videl. If anything, there was no place safer for her to be than by his side.

Soft snores came from his left. Gohan was lying sprawled across the grass and leaves, fast asleep. Mark wondered if Hercule still had any tricks up his sleeve. Whatever the would be, he simply knew that someone would end up getting hurt. The man lying next to him, most likely.

He had already contemplated confiding in Videl, to tell her that she had to be watchful. Only he couldn't. Simply saying the words would already feel like treachery. And betrayal between siblings was the worst, in his mind.

There was another option, however. Mark watched the dark canopy above him, mentally flipping a coin that would never land on its side. For every solution he pitched, three issues arose to the surface and wiped his plans right off the table. When all had failed and there was nothing left to do, it was time for the last resort.

He rolled onto his side, sleep beginning to catch up with him. Tomorrow he would see if he could confide all of this in Gohan. He trusted his Sensei enough to keep his secrets with him. And, if there was anyone who he would rely on to keep the situation peaceful, it would be Gohan.

As his eyelids began to close, his last thoughts of the day slipped into his consciousness like mist across the plains. They were thoughts of what his father might be planning on, and every doom scenario he went over. All he could do now was pray that it would be nothing too radical, but that was idle hope. Hercule was never the person to do anything subtle. He was a man who got what he wanted, and there was no reason to doubt that he would kill for it, should it turn out to be needed.

He dreamed a strange dream that night. Videl, Gohan, his father and something that he couldn't place, a silver gleam of metal, perhaps, wove in and out of his subconscious. He woke up the next day, a thick sheen of sweat on his forehead.

**...**

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	23. Chapter 23

"Not bad kid," said Seventeen as he looked at the miniscule, white ball of Ki, levitating millimetres above Videl's outstretched palm. "Now throw it at me."

"W-What?" stuttered Videl in surprise.

"You heard me, throw it at me, like it's a baseball or something," said Seventeen as he gave his chest a pat, indicating for Videl to direct her throw towards it.

"Okay," she said unsurely with a questioning look on her face before relenting. With a pitch unworthy of a teenager who had not thrown a ball in years, she flung the ball surprisingly close to her target. Instead of cleanly hitting its mark, the ball of energy made contact with Seventeen's face and while the crimefighter gasped, he didn't even flinch.

"I think you might have tickled a hair or two there," he said cockily in a voice that was just as convincing.

"That's not fair," pouted Videl as she crossed her arms across her chest in protest. "I swear it got smaller as it moved closer to you."

"Not that it would make much of a difference, but that's actually completely right," explained Seventeen. It never ceased to amaze her how quickly he could switch between being an arrogant asshat and a half-decent teacher. "It was already about one fifth the size of a golf ball but by the time it hit me, it had reduced in size by at least a further seventy-five percent. Energy, or Ki, dissipates when there's no constant power source."

"So you mean pushing it outside my skin made it harder for the Ki to find its way back to the energy inside my core?" asked Videl as she frowned in confusion. She was no scientist or anything but that didn't exactly sound like it obeyed the laws of physics. Then again, none of this really did.

"Yeah, pretty much," Seventeen said with an acknowledging nod. "So as you push it further away from your body it becomes increasingly harder to fuel until it reaches such a point that it starts dissipating, or decreasing in size."

"That doesn't make sense," interrupted Videl. "When Gohan or Mark threw fireballs at me, they never became smaller."

"First, they're not called fireballs, they're balls of Ki," said Seventeen with a smirk as he noticed the infuriated expression upon Videl's face. "Second, they probably just put more juice into the ball then you. Though their Ki balls were probably larger, they were almost certainly much more dense in terms of Ki then your own attempt, so while Ki still left the ball before it hit you, there weren't any visible reductions in size. I guess your brother's just that much more advanced than you."

"Shut up, I-I was beating him until he threw that stupid fire ball at me," scowled Videl. "I'll show him and that stupid grin-"

"Woah, calm down there, firecracker," said Seventeen as he cackled despite himself. That nickname was just too apt a description of the raven-haired girl.

The look that Videl sent his way was menacing, so much so that it would probably do his sister proud, but he paid it no mind. The girl deserved it for the little name she had called him the other day.

…

"Aren't you going home for the weekend?" asked Gohan as he glanced at Videl before looking toward the gathering of students. "Krillin's going to be flying everyone back to Satan City so they can meet their families and all that. Martial arts is a serious thing but I'm sure these guys have lives outside it."

"That or we're just looking forward to a hot shower," interrupted Katie, walking past as she made her way toward the group of martial artist hopefuls.

"Or that," conceded Gohan with a gentle nod before looking back at Videl.

"Nah, I don't think I'd mix well with my dad's pig-headedness," she said with a slight grin. "Besides Mark's finally going to take a break from his training so this is my chance to one-up him."

"Heh, knowing your brother he's probably still going to be at it even when he gets home," said Gohan as he absentmindedly tapped what had only a few days ago been his bloodied mess of a nose.

"I guess but he won't find a decent sensei within a hundred miles," said Videl and Gohan wasn't sure if she was complimenting his teaching abilities or that of the dojo as a whole.

"Not until we start rebuilding our old dojo, at least. Not everyone wants to fly out all the way to god knows where to learn martial arts, right?"

"Heh, I don't know, it's pretty nice out here," said Videl lazily as she yawned. "So any idea on whether or not there are going to be lessons today? I haven't seen Seventeen's ugly mug around all morning."

"Well given that over half of our already-diminishing numbers just vanished in exchange for comfortable beds and air conditioning, I'd be tempted to say no," teased Gohan with a slight grin on his face.

"Mark's been rubbing off you," concluded Videl. "You hang out with him too much."

"I suppose that your brother actually takes his training seriously," said Seventeen from behind Videl as he stepped into the fray.

"Hey, even you admitted the other day that I take my training seriously enough," Videl poked her tongue out at the older man before gesturing to Gohan with her eyes. "Gohan here can vouch for me as well."

"I'm not getting involved in this," said Gohan cautiously as he took a step back. "Besides, don't you think we could keep the fighting about who the better sibling is for when Mark's actually around?"

The three of them, Seventeen included, shared a light chuckle.

"So what are we actually going to do today then?" asked Videl once the laughter had died down. "It'd be cool to have two senseis teach me at once."

"As much as you enjoy being the centre of attention, there are still other students around," said Seventeen as he ran his fingers through his hair. "A few of the senseis also decided to take the weekend off."

"Oh, right," Videl blinked as she turned her head back to the hall in which all the students slept. She could still see a sleeping bag or two unpacked.

"Well I'm tempted to say that everyone deserves an off-day," said Gohan with a grin. "It's a nice day today, and there's a nice lake a few kilometres away from here. Why don't we go swimming?"

...

"So why didn't Freed come along again?" asked Videl as she laid out a clean change of clothes on the warm grass. She didn't have a swimsuit on her but little things like that had never fussed her, it wasn't that big a deal if her current clothes got wet.

"Something about a headache," said Sharpner. "I offered to try and get him some medicine but he waved me off and said that he just needed a bit of sleep."

"That's probably the best medicine in these kinds of situation anyway," nodded Gohan. While they lived in a world of senzu beans and Namekians who could make all your injuries disappear, there was nothing wrong with a bit of natural medicine. "Say have you guys ever been fishing?"

"When I was a little kid, maybe once or twice," said Videl as she eyed the river.

As though he were mirroring her thoughts, Sharpner exclaimed, "Don't tell me that there are fish in there!"

"Heh, they won't bite and the smaller ones are more afraid of you than you are of them," said Gohan, recalling the various fishing stories his father had told him.

"What about the bigger ones then?" Videl asked hesitantly.

"Well, then we've found dinner, haven't we?" chuckled Gohan.

"Don't be fooled too quickly, children," Seventeen said in a mocking tone. "You'd need at least three monster-sized catches to quell Gohan's stomach alone."

"Yeah, what's up with that anyway?" questioned Sharpner. "I mean I thought I had a large appetite but you guys could probably put a small village to shame."

"Not us, just Goku's family," said Seventeen with a slight smile on his face. "So anyway, who's going to test out the water for the rest of us?"

"I vote Videl," said Sharpner quickly as he took a step back, not wanting to put either of his superiors in the line of fire.

"Well you heard him," even Gohan had a grin on his face as Videl scowled.

Protesting wouldn't help, Videl knew. Giving a sigh, the girl discarded her shirt and hung it on a random tree branch. She considered punching Sharpner when she heard him draw his breath in, but thought better of it. It wasn't like he would ever get any of it.

Gohan shot her a supportive look, which she returned with a smile. Seventeen inclined his head, telling her 'good luck' in his own manner. Videl ran for it, and dove.

The water wasn't as freezing cold as she had anticipated. The summer sun had left it on the edge of lukewarm, and it actually felt quite pleasant. Rising back to the surface, Videl raised a hand, a thumb pointing upwards. Cheers followed from both Sharpner and Gohan, who jumped in straight after her, landing in the clear water with a loud splash.

Seventeen didn't follow them, though. Videl met his eyes and raised a brow, but Seventeen waved her questions away. "Not much of swimmer," he told her, "I think I'll just cast out my rod and try to catch something tasty."

The afternoon was a strange one, all things considered. Videl and Sharpner were taught a new way of catching fish, courtesy of Gohan. When the young man went under the surface for a lengthy amount of time, Videl found herself genuinely concerned for his well-being. She was about to go after him, but suddenly Gohan reappeared, a monstrously big fish flapping and wriggling in his grip. None of the attendees had words for this, so instead the just watched as Gohan scooped fish after fish from the lake.

Seventeen wasn't faring any worse either. in the span of just an hour, Videl's new Sensei had hooked about a dozen trouts and a few salmons to boot, some of them the size of small sharks.

After reeling in yet another pike, Seventeen threw his fishing rod backwards, intent on swinging it as far into the lake as possible. Perhaps he had been a little too enthusiastic. The line snagged into the tree branches a few yards behind him.

Seventeen cursed under his breath. He yanked at the fishing wire, which seemed to only tangle further the harder he tried. Losing his temper, Seventeen pulled at the rod with the force he could muster.

The wire sprang free, snapping the branch it was clutching to for dear life. It came tumbling down with a large crash. When Seventeen went over to untangle the wire, he called for the rest of the group.

"You guys, come check this out."

Seventeen was holding bits of black plastic. In between the scraps, tangles of black film could be seen. Seventeen was holding the shattered remains of a video camera.

"We're being watched," Seventeen concluded. "Someone wants to know what we are up to, and I have a pretty good idea who it might be."

...

Mark opened the front door to the Satan Mansion. Nobody was home, praised be the Lords.

Mark had gone to Gohan very early that morning. It was the first time he was up before his Sensei, which said something about the nerves that had wrecked his sleep. He had inquired for a day off from training. The onyx stare that had him transfixed made him sweat bullets. When Mark confessed that it had something to do with family matters, Gohan had agreed surprisingly quick. Curiously enough, this news had leaked and caused the rest of the trainees to demand a weekend worth of rest.

The first thing he'd done was make his way to Satan City. He knew that his father would be in the middle of the city then, expected to cut a ribbon here and pose for a picture there. Assured by the thought of privacy and some alone time, Mark made for his home.

A lot of what he did then he did on automatic pilot. His conscious mind only really rose back to the surface when he found himself in his own private bathroom. He was already unclothed and a steady stream of water cascaded down onto the tiles. Since he had been able to smell himself throughout the past week or two, a proper bathing seemed like a gift from the heavens now.

As the water soaked his hair and streamed down his temples in rivulets, his thoughts caught up with him. Pretty much everything about his father was now accompanied by a feeling of deep, deep loathing. Over the past few weeks Mark himself had excelled at fighting so much that he could probably kill his old man with a good blow to the temple. This realisation had turned the gears in the boy's head. If Cell, the most feared monster in the history of the world, was actually capable of performing Ki attacks, dubbed by Hercule as 'tricks and mirrors', then it was absolutely impossible for his father to have defeated Cell. It just couldn't be. And Mark could wager a good guess on who exactly was the hero.

It was like he had only blinked. Suddenly Mark was in his father's den, sparking a fire in the hearth at the far end of the room. Once he had a fire roaring pleasantly, Mark sat down in Hercule's favorite chair, and helped himself to a glass of whiskey. the first swallow tasted like battery acid mellowed in an oak cask. The second was a lot more pleasant, and went down a lot easier as well. He found he enjoyed the way it warmed his throat and stomach.

There was still some time to kill, so Mark set about to inspecting his father's den. He had been here countless times before, but some snooping around wouldn't hurt. Perhaps he would find something that would help him build a strong case against his father; he was already going to disregard the family fortune, so why not do so with the right evidence to back up his claims?

Hercule Satan was a notoriously vain man. This became all the more clear to whoever saw the four paintings of the man himself flanking the four walls. Mark felt as if his father's eyes were following him wherever he went. It was unnerving to some degree.

Truth to be told, Mark had no clue what exactly he was looking for. He knew Hercule had 'plans' to separate Gohan and Videl, and that he himself was the piece that would fit the entire puzzle together. If he removed himself from the fray, Hercule's plans would receive a solid blow. The only question was: what did these plans entail?

Mark rummaged through all the papers he could find. He upended drawers, shuffled through stacks of files and even plucked a few books from the case against the wall, but it seemed to be futile. Every slip of paper had something to do with appearances his father had to make, or they were newspaper cutouts that Hercule seemed to hold onto dearly, to stroke his ego with. Not even to mention the giant stack of autographs the man kept on his desk. Vanity wasn't a strong enough word to summarize Hercule Satan.

But then he found it. It had been tucked away behind a photo frame on one of the many shelves. The photo itself depicted Mark and his sister around the age of seven, smiling happily at the camera from Daddy's lap. It almost made the boy sentimental, and crave for happier and easier times. Mark had taken it from the shelf to blow the dust off, but when he did, he felt paper crumble underneath his fingertips.

It was a letter, it seemed. Handwritten by his father with the utmost precision, no blemishes on the sheet at all. Mark suspected his father still had to send it, but why hadn't he done that the minute he had finished it? Was there information in here so classified that it had to be hidden from the light of day?

Mark took the letter with him and went back to his father's chair. Soon the whiskey was back in his hand and he was lulling the glass from side to side. Blue eyes began scanning to content of the letter.

It seemed very formal at first; Hercule made work of it to introduce himself as well as possible, adding all the titles that the crowds had given him over the years. Then came the queries: the one that struck Mark as most odd was "Are you currently available?".

When reaching the final paragraph, Mark gasped.

This couldn't be true...

"Mark?" said boy's heart leaped. He pushed the letter away in the cushions of the chair.

Hercule was standing in the doorway, looking dumbfounded. "What've you got there?" he asked, a bushy eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"That's not important," Mark was taken aback by the aggression in his own voice. "Sit," he gestured to the seat beside him. "I want to talk to you."

Hercule did as he was bidded, crossing the room and settling himself down next to his son. He was about to speak, but Mark raised a hand to silence him. He wasn't in the mood for arguments.

"Dad, I..." he gave a sharp exhale and forced himself to stare his father in the eyes. "Dad, I want out."

Hercule blinked at him stupidly. "You... want out? What's that supposed to mean?"

Mark sighed. "Isn't that obvious? I've had it with playing the double agent. I refuse to meddle in Videl's life any longer."

Hercule weighed him with narrowed eyes. It had never been a virtue of Mr. Satan to be told 'no'. Actually hearing it from one of his children was certain to be a blow to his pride. Mark felt anxiety creep up on him, but he forced it to the back of his mind. There was no room for weakness now.

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" Mark snapped. His hand found the glass of whiskey on the table between the two men. A good swallow of it dulled his nerves. Hercule seemed to want to reprimand him for drinking his father's booze, but a sharp glare rendered this futile.

"I don't want to be a bastard anymore, simple as that," Mark explained. "I can hardly think of anything more vile than ruining my sister's life, all because _you _don't like a guy in her life. It makes me sick to my stomach to even think about it."

Hercule's fingers curled into the armrests of his chair. "I thought we had an agreement about this? We had clear-"

"Fuck your agreement."

"W-What?" Hercule muttered, silenced by his son's boldness.

"Fuck your agreement," Mark repeated himself. "I don't know what came over me when I told you I'd do it. You can even say I hate myself for it. All I know now is, I won't do it anymore, not in a million years."

Hercule rose from his seat, turning red in the face. "So suddenly this is all a family matter?" he spat, "All of a sudden you need to be the perfect member of the perfect family? Well I have news for you, hotshot, I'm your family too, in case you'd forgotten."

Mark looked at his father in silence. The amount of disgust that ran through him was almost impossible to contain. In front of him was the man that had not only lied to his children, but to the whole world. His entire existence was based on a fallacy, a fairy tale. The Savior was living life in a transparent bubble, hoping that no one would pull out the needle of truth and start poking around. This man was standing in front of him, trying to give him a lesson in ethics. Mark wanted to vomit.

"I hadn't forgotten," Mark almost whispered. "I used to adore you, you know that?" This piqued his father's curiosity, as he leaned in to hear the words better. "I always thought that _my father_, Hercule Freaking Satan, was the strongest and bravest man in the world. How could I not, with everyone hailing you the Savior of Earth? There was no way around it. You were perfect."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"Shut up when I'm talking to you," Mark demanded with a growl. He downed all his remaining whiskey in one go, refilling the glass right after. The alcohol was loosening his tongue, something that he could surely use right now.

"My Daddy, Savior of All. It was like living a dream. I had everything I could ask for. Money? No issue. Women? Even less of a problem. A father's affection? Maybe a little harder to come by, but with all of these people around pretending to be my best friend since I was the Saviour's son, who needed that, am I right?

"Still I battled for your affection. Videl certainly got the worse end of that bargain, I can tell you that. The poor girl took a beating from me, then got a frown from you. No wonder she has such a short fuse. But it's good to see that you still care for her, Dad, it really is. You would go as far as bribing your own son to 'make sure she remains safe', as you put it." He fell silent for a bit, giving Hercule a chance to collect his thoughts.

"But I want her to be safe," Hercule stammered, taken aback. "You know that I care about my children more than anything in the world."

"False," Mark contradicted him. The fire in the hearth was contorting their shadows into a macabre, tenseful dance. "You care about your _image _more than anything in the world. Just think what the newspapers would say when you 'little Sweet Pea' was seen dating a man that you don't like? It would be a blow to your pride, wouldn't it? And if there is anything that Hercule Satan loathes, it's his pride being hurt. You'd even go as far as placing the poor girl out of your will to reach that. And that's why you fail as a human being." Another glass of whiskey was finished before he knew it.

Hercule decided not to reply, so Mark continued his monologue.

"This is how I see it. Right now, I'm looking at a man who would sell his own children for a chance to be on television for two minutes, if that was what it took. And see, I've decided that I no longer want to be associated with a person like that. You can take that family fortune that you are trying to lure me with, and stick it where the sun doesn't shine."

Hercule raised a hand to his head, combing it through his ridiculous afro. "I hope that you know what you're saying."

"Believe it or not," Mark could not contain a laugh from escaping him. "I actually do. It took me a while to reach the conclusion, but I know now. I realised how much you disgust me. Placing your career over your children, how do you even dare?"

"I never, ever, placed my career over the two of you," Hercule huffed in offense. "You two mean the world to me, and nothing will be able to change that."

"If only I could believe that," Mark said, his tone cold and distant. "If you actually cared for us as much as you say you do, you would've let Videl make her own decisions in life. But no, we all have to do your bidding, because Kami only knows what happens if we try to think for ourselves for a change.

"But here's the thing. I've actually given that a try," Mark said, waving his glass around to emphasize a sudden sense of nonchalance. "As it so turns out, thinking for yourself is really liberating. It made things clear to me, stuff that I hadn't noticed at first. Like how you're afraid that everyone will find out that you are the biggest fraud in history."

"A fraud?" Hercule's lips moved, but words seem to be lost on him.

"A fraud, yes," Mark confirmed. "You're not afraid that Videl will date Gohan, you are afraid that she will tell him the truth. There were no smoke and mirrors, were there?"

Hercule, having risen from his chair, simply stood there blinking.

"You're pissing yourself in fright at the idea of someone spreading rumours. They could cause your downfall and you know that perfectly well. If the people of the world actually knew that everything Cell did was real, then you would be torn to shreds. And what Cell did was as real as you and me standing right here, right now."

"Nonsense," Hercule seemed to have found his tongue again. "You don't actually believe that that _creature _could fly, and use energy?"

"I do now," Mark said. He stretched his hand out, his palm pointing upward. Hercule stared at it, and gasped when a little ball of light began to take shape.

"You didn't defeat Cell," Mark stated. He threw the Ki ball across the room, blowing his father's liquor cabinet to shrapnel. It blew up with the sound of a thunderclap. Glass and wood splinters flew in every direction, and booze rained down on the high carpet. "See, that there would've killed you almost instantly."

Hercule's knees gave out on him. The World Champion fell back into his chair, sitting there in silence. Of course, there were no words to save him now; he had been exposed for the liar that he was, by his own flesh and blood nonetheless.

"You did not defeat Cell," Mark repeated. "Gohan did, I know it. In case you didn't get it yet, he was the one that taught me all of this, in that dojo you seem so eager to take down. And Gohan is far, far stronger than I am. I can hardly lay a finger on the guy. Just think of that will you; I could kill you here, right now, and not even break a single sweat. Gohan could do the same to me. Now how is it possible that everyone thinks that you are the Savior?

"It's almost sad to see how eager everyone is to believe you. Even when all the signs tell them otherwise, they still keep faith in the man that has been lying to them for eight years now. Not that you haven't tried to keep up the charades though; it would be completely out of character if you didn't. But now you have really hit an all time low. Selling your own daughter out for a few extra years in the limelight. You disgust me."

"Then go," Hercule broke his silence. "Just go. If you want to tell the world, do so. I can manage myself fine without your help. I don't need you as a part of my plans anymore."

Mark snapped at that. He threw his empty glass to splinters at his father's feet. "Oh, believe me, I know. I was hardly any part of your plan to begin with. All you needed was for me to nod my head, and to say 'yes Dad, please Dad'. You just didn't want anybody to question your decisions. There would be no problem in that, as long as nobody knew what you were actually up to."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hercule's face was turning the colour of spoiled milk.

"I'm talking about this," Mark removed the letter he had found from its hiding place. "And don't even try to deny it. It's right here on paper, black on white."

All the remaining colour drained from his father's face.

"I knew that you were vile, _Hercule_," Mark crumpled the letter in his palm. "But I never expected you to sink this low. I sincerely hope that you think about the mistakes you've made in the past, but you and I both know that is never going to happen." Mark rose from his chair and began pacing around.

"Perhaps it's time for you to show just how much you care about your family," Mark said. He tossed the letter into the hearth, watching the flames lick at the edges. "Or at least, what you have left of it. I hope that Videl still loves you dearly, and that she'll always be your Sweet Pea. You've lost me."

"W-Wh-"

"You heard me," Mark spat on the carpet in front of Hercule. "As of today, you only have one child left. I want nothing more to do with you, and I never want to see that face of yours again. If I do, you'll suffer the same fate as your booze cabinet."

He stormed out of the room without deeming Hercule worthy of another glance. As he exited the manor and slammed the front door, the letter curled around in the flames.

The last words to be consumed by fire read, _"Dear General..." _

…

**This chapter was brought to you by Kakarot Son and Kalebxdd.**

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	24. Chapter 24

**This chapter was brought to you by Kakarot Son and Kalebxdd.**

…

"And would you like anything off the top, dear?" the young hairdresser asked as she ran her fingers through Mark's hair.

Mark considered this, studying his current mop-top in the mirror opposite from him. His bangs were falling over his eyes and long, raven strands framed his face. It was probably best to restyle it completely.

"I'd like to have as much of it off as possible," Mark explained. "Keep it just long enough so I can put it up with some hair gel."

"You got it, sweetie." The hairdresser went for her scissors and a comb. "Oh and remember, the dye will be 150 extra."

"Don't sweat it," Mark said, tugging at the neck hole of the apron they had forced on him.

"So," the girl began, trying to start some shallow conversation as she smacked her chewing gum as loud as she could. "Was it time for a new image?"

"I suppose you could say that." Mark winced when she raked the comb through his hair with surprising brutality. "I've been walking around like this for years now, and I figured I might go for something new. Gets kind of boring to always see the same thing in the mirror,"

"Oh, I totally understand," the hairdresser began to ramble. "Just last month I had a lock of pink, but that got boring after like, I dunno, a week-"

Mark shut her out of his thoughts. He was hardly present for the rest of the conversation, knowing when to give the mandatory not or when to grumble his consent. What he had told the hairdresser wasn't exactly true. Certainly, he could really use a new image right now, but it wasn't because his old hairdo wasn't "getting all the ladies." For the first time in his life, Mark actually felt like he was doing something serious. A new appearance would help him on his way, no doubt. To be honest, life in general would've been a lot easier without the recognition factor.

It was kind of sad though, having to leave the camp behind like that. It felt like betrayal to several of the people there, people who he just started to consider his friends. It wouldn't be the worst for them though; Mark had spent about nineteen years being an absolute asshole and a few more weeks of that wasn't going to change anything.

Slipping away had been so easy though, it was baffling. Placing a note under Gohan's pillow hadn't been that much of challenge, and after that it was only a two hour trek to the nearest bus stop. After that he had meekly allowed the bus to carry him towards the city. And here he was, at ten in the morning, watching the hair he once prided himself for fall to the ground like dead leaves.

An acrid smell attacked his nostrils. Mark glanced in the mirror and saw that the hairdresser was busy mixing one gooey substance with the other. Probably the hair dye he had requested. He tried his best to ignore the stench.

Mark sighed and stared out the window for entertainment. In this city it was now hard for him to find any kind of enjoyment. His father's face grinned at him from many of the billboards by the road. Every one of them had the exact same photo: Hercule smiling as wide as his face would let him, throwing a peace sign. _Peace my ass. _In that regard his father was the same as many of the world's religious leaders, using their influence and fame to control the masses, and let them live in a secluded, single-minded world where thinking outside the box was akin to the highest treason.

He hadn't even called. Mark had seen his father about five days ago and Hercule hadn't even put out a single bit of effort to contact him since. No phone calls, no text messages, nothing. It was just as well, Mark supposed. It would be easier on the both of them if they loathed the other's existence.

Mark's hand went to his breast pocket. It contained a little note and on it he had penned down his destination. He was headed for some part of the world he'd never even heard of, so preparation was key. He was still clueless as to how to get there, though. Hitchhiking seemed like the most effective way to get from place to place, but then again you never really knew who it was you got in a vehicle with. With a bit of luck he would be riding with some murdering psychopath. He couldn't fly yet, so that was also out of the question. Maybe he could see what was left in the savings account his father had made for him. There should be enough in there to go a very long way.

Suddenly his jeans pocket buzzed. Mark pried his telephone free from confinement. His sister was calling him. He slid his thumb over the screen to unlock it, automatically answering.

"Hey lil' sister," Mark greeted. "How're you holding up?"

"Oh Mark, thank god you picked up," Videl immediately responded into her phone, sounding breathless. "I was so worried you wouldn't answer. Mark please tell me, where are you?"

"No can do," Mark told her honestly. "Sorry."

"What do you mean, you're sorry?" Videl snapped. Mark could almost see her with her hand on her hip, frowning at her handheld. "Mark, this is serious. You just took off without warning anyone. Everybody has been worried sick over you."

"Are they really?" Mark found himself smiling despite himself. At least those people actually cared about him. "Well that's good to know, but if they really want the best for me, tell them to stop worrying about me. I'll be fine."

"Mark, don't bullshit me," Videl said. Ah, how he loved that about her. No beating around the bush. "You obviously got something in that big stupid head of yours and now your ego won't allow you to let anybody else help you. Just fess up, what's the matter?"

Mark grinned. His sister really was a smart one. The only thing was she knew the old Mark inside and out, not the new one. If he were to keep up with the charades, it wouldn't hurt to play the role of Old Mark for a little while.

"I thought you people weren't allowed electronics inside camp," Mark said, his tone casual. "If Gohan catches you, I bet he'll be pissed."

"Yeah, and you weren't supposed to _leave _camp," Videl retorted. "So please cut the crap and stop changing the subject. This is serious Mark, so please act like it." She fell silent for a bit. "Daddy has been spying on our training." She whispered.

This caught Mark off guard. "Really? How?" The fact that his father was playing spy didn't really surprise him, but rather the amount of thought and preparation that Hercule had put into his ploy. Mark never would've guessed his father to have such an extensive attention span.

"Seventeen found some video cameras set up in the trees by the lake," Videl explained. "We searched the area and found about two dozen more. He's really been keeping track of us every minute of the day."

"That man," Mark found himself laughing. "What he wouldn't do to get his way. Unfortunately he isn't as clever as he thinks."

"What are you talking about?"

Mark pondered for a moment. He wanted to share his newfound knowledge with his sister; it would certainly take some of the weight from his own shoulders. Then again, she might want to rush to his aid right away, and there was no sense in putting her in danger.

"Well think for a minute," Mark said eventually. "Why would Dad go to such lengths to know what we are up to?" The hairdresser came up behind him and started applying the hair dye. It was cold and sticky, and smelled even worse from up close.

"To protect us!" She didn't seem to need even a second of thought. "Daddy just wants us to be safe."

"Who says we need the protection?" Mark retorted. "We're big kids now and with all the training we've been getting, being in physical danger should be the least of our worries."

Videl seemed to consider this. "Well if he isn't worried about us getting hurt, what is he?"

"And now for the million dollar question," Mark said, throwing his hands in the air for no one but the hairdresser to see. "What does our Daddy love more than anything in the world?"

At first the other end of the line was silent, then, "Attention."

"Bingo!" Mark cheered. "Right on the spot! Yes, if there is anything that gets Hercule Satan worked up like a horny dog, it's flashing cameras and microphones."

"Where are you going with this?" Videl was trying to speed the conversation along. Mark decided he would throw her that bone at least, even if the chat was just starting to get amusing.

"Oh Videl, really now, it shouldn't be this hard for you to figure this out." Mark thought of how to put it best; the feeling of thick, gloppy goo racing across forehead made it hard for him to focus. "Do you know what a Ki ball is?"

"Of course I do," Videl snorted, almost sounding offended. "They're balls of life energy concentrated into a single point." She said the words out as if read in a textbook. "I've been practising them with Seventeen the last few weeks."

"Okay, good, good," Mark said, happy where this was going. "And do you remember how Dad called Cell's Ki attacks?"

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Videl," Mark called out. "Videl, are you still there?'

"Smoke and mirrors..." His sister almost whispered. "No, it can't be..."

"Sorry to say so," Mark sighed. She had to find out sometime. "But it's true. Everything that Cell did was Ki related. There was never anything close to smoke and mirrors. Dad's a big fucking fraud."

He could hear Videl snivel over the phone. "He lied to us," she sobbed. "He lied to the whole world."

Anger boiled inside of Mark like acid. His little sister was crying. Videl, the girl who wouldn't even wince at her ribs being broken, was actually crying. And all because of the that frizzy-haired bastard.

"Stop it," Mark demanded. "Videl Satan, you are a strong woman, so act like it."

Videl regained her composure after a little while. "Yeah, you're right, thanks," she said. "I shouldn't be crying right now, I'm useless like that."

Mark smiled. "Good, that's the Videl I've come to know and respect."

Videl chuckled. "What, you only have respect for me? Where did the love go?'

"You know I can't love, for I don't have a heart," Mark joked, laughing. "But in all fairness, I have to hang up now."

"No Mark, please, wait," Videl intervened. "If you won't tell me where you're going, at least tell me what you are planning on."

"And share the glory? I think not," Mark replied. "But seriously, it's best if not too many people know where I am going, and that includes you. Believe me, it's for the best."

Videl didn't protest as much as he would expect. "Okay, fine. But there has to be something that I can do to help."

Mark swiveled in his chair; the hairdresser was already finished putting the hair dye in and was smoking a cigarette out in front of the salon. "Sure you can help. Dad's bound to get back to camp now that you guys have removed all the video cameras. You can interrogate the hell out of him if you'd like."

"Oh, you bet your ass that I will," Videl grumbled under her breath.

"So, now that we've done all our catching up, it's time for me to hang up and get moving." Mark's fingers moved for the 'end call' button, but before he could end the conversation he heard his sister's voice one last time.

"Mark, please be careful."

Mark sighed and put his phone away. He had just made the mess they were all in a whole lot bigger, but he supposed that there was no way to prevent it. Videl just had to know; the lies of his father concerned her just as much.

He just wished that that hairdresser would hurry up already. If he was going to have this crap in his hair for another twenty minutes, he could at least do with some form of entertainment.

And she eventually did come. The young girl was nice enough to properly rinse his hair of any residual dye, and she aven applied some care product that took the acrid smell right away. After she was finished drying him off she positioned him in front of the mirror, so he could have a proper look at himself.

Mark wasn't even sure whether or not this new look would help conceal his identity. Maybe it had just been an attempt to wash the Satan away. As if a new look could help him find his footing in his new life faster.

The hairdresser had done a good job, he had to admit that. Where his hair had been rugged and unkempt not even an hour ago, it was now neatly trimmed short. The girl had put some gel in , making it point upward in small spikes. Most notable about his change of appearance was that his hair no longer had its trademark raven colour. It had been dyed a very light blonde, almost as gold as the sun.

His eyes still were the same. They would always remind him of who he was and where he came from.

Mark exited the salon. It was only a ten minute walk to the closest bus stop that would get him on his way.

This General should better watch his back; Satan would be making a personal visit real soon.

…

"So how's the rebuilding going?" asked Seventeen as he stifled a yawn.

"I didn't really get to take too much of a look around, but it seems like the dojo will be back better than ever," said Krillin with a grin. "We can probably start holding classes there again in a few weeks."

"I'd imagine the reconstruction won't be quite finished, but a little noise sure as hell beats being out in the middle of fuckin' nowhere," nodded Seventeen.

"I don't know," said Gohan. "I kinda like this place."

"Heh, I'll bet," chuckled Krillin. "You spent your childhood here - well at least when you weren't being terrorised by Piccolo."

Gohan sighed fondly in recollection. "Those were the days, huh?"

"I don't know about you, but I for one am rather glad that we've not had some evil insect show up again," said Seventeen, unfondly recalling the time he had once spent _within_ Cell.

"So where's Videl?" asked Krillin with a sly look upon his face. "I heard that she stuck around over the weekend to spend a little more time with you."

Gohan blushed a little. "She's probably in the hall; apparently there was some drama back at home. Mark got into a bit of a dispute with their father or something like that. I thought it was weird when he showed up later than all the other kids but I guess this explains why he took off the other night as well."

"They're nice kids," said Seventeen as he brushed a few strands of hair out of his eye. "A shame that their father's such a douchebag."

"Something tells me you two wouldn't get along," Krillin replied with a smirk.

"No kidding," chuckled Gohan. "So I wonder what I should do now that I don't have a student on my hands. I could help you out if you need a hand, Krillin?"

"Please spare us the formalities," sighed Seventeen. "You can help me teach your girlfriend, it sure would help me out to not have to put up with all her feistiness on her own."

"When you put it like that, I can't refuse," smiled Gohan. "So I was thinking, we should probably hold a little meeting between the senseis to share progress on how our students are doing."

"Well it would take a genius to tell you that Sharpner's probably made the most improvement," said Krillin. "If you ask me, Mark is by far the best when it comes to manipulating his Ki though."

"Agreed," nodded Seventeen. "Videl's making good progress, but she'd probably still find herself outclassed by her brother in a full on fight. She's pretty good when it comes to regular old sparring and could probably beat most of the students, with the exception of maybe Mark, when it comes to fighting without Ki, but she's still got to make some progress on that front."

"From what I hear, Kaitie and Freed are coming along pretty nicely as well," Gohan added. "Maybe we should find out for ourselves and have them participate in a tournament of sorts."

"Hmm… I like it, that could be a nice way to bid this place farewell once we move back to the old dojo," said Krillin with a nod.

…

"Come on Videl," taunted Sharpner as he threw a punch at her lazily, something the black-haired girl only managed to haphazardly block. "Don't tell me it's this easy to get you on the ropes."

Videl ignored his words, knowing that getting riled up by them wouldn't help any as she tried to counter by planting a palm into his stomach. It was hard for her to focus on the match in front of her though, given what had taken place earlier in the day.

Was Mark going to be okay? Was her father really a fraud? Either way she hoped that the answer to both questions wouldn't be the same.

"I expected you to put up a bit more of a fight," said Sharpner as he tossed a ball of Ki at her, forcing her to stop dead in her tracks and duck under the powerful ball of energy.

She hadn't wanted to deal with the possibility that her dad had not defeated Cell for a while now. In the past month, it had become far too obvious when she thought about it. No, it had been easier to just forget about it and him entirely, but with how quickly her family's relationships had degraded she wasn't sure if that would be possible for much longer.

It was only a matter of time before her dad sought her out, she realised. If she were in his shoes, that would be her next logical step. It made sense, he was probably going to try and get her to reach out to Mark and calm him down - convince him to return home.

The two twins had always had an odd relationship: they were sibling rivals through and through, but behind all the arrogance and boasting, neither could deny that they cared deeply for one another.

The question she found herself asking, as she feinted a punch to Sharpner's chest and followed up with a quick strike to his unsuspecting temple, was what she would do when her father finally arrived. She had promised Mark that she would interrogate him, but would she really be able to get anything out of him?

Sure, their relationship wasn't as patchy as it had been during their little falling out, but Videl wasn't entirely sure that she'd be able to keep her cool and question him about the video cameras and whatever had driven Mark up the wall. Not when she knew she was talking to someone who had lied to her face for over half of her life.

A Ki enhanced blow to her stomach left her gasping for air. She only managed to push Sharpner's next powerful blow off course by the skin of her teeth before retreating backwards a little to catch her breath. Videl massaged her temples gently as she tried to focus her mind.

The drama with her family was for later. For now she had to focus on the fight in front of her.

But the more she tried to keep her eyes on the opponent facing her, the more she felt her mind wandering off to Mark and her father. She didn't like what she could only presume could have happened between the two. The fact that Mark, her father's pride and joy, and her father weren't on speaking terms any longer was very unnerving.

It was different when it was her. It always was; she fought with everyone and everything. But the two of them had always shared a bond that had never before been stretched so thin - the only time that came close was their mother's death from what Videl remembered. The sinking feeling in her gut made her feel a little apologetic towards the rest of her family because she'd never even thought that they could experience a similar feeling during one of her little spat's with either member.

"Hello Videl!" exclaimed Sharpner, painfully making her aware of his presence again with a strong right hook to her gut. "Is anyone home?"

"Right," said Videl as she shook her head again. She knew her focus wouldn't last for long, her mind was already set on her father and Mark, but she had to make it last. Leaping forward, she engaged the blond with a flurry of strikes. They weren't particularly powerful but a few managed to make it past his guard, forcing him to jump backwards to dodge.

Finally feeling that she was gaining her edge back, Videl pushed forward, letting her fists speak for her emotions. Her knuckles banged out her confusion and her weariness was forgotten. Sweat stung in her eyes but she kept going, never giving herself a second of rest.

She landed a deafening blow on Sharpner's jaw that was certain to have made his teeth rattle. Said boy spat out a glob of saliva mixed with blood. In the two seconds that he got to rest, he wiped the remainder from his chin. He grinned.

"Seems like you haven't lost your edge after all." His smirk grew. "That really freakin' hurt, Videl."

Videl couldn't help but smile in return. "Like I would ever lose my skill to begin with. You shouldn't have left your face open to a blow like that."

"Obviously not," Sharpner agreed. "But we learn through trial and error, don't we? Just like you just made the mistake that will cost you this match."

Videl was going to ask him what he meant by that, but before she could manage it she was jumping backwards to avoid getting kicked in the temple. Damn, that guy could swing his feet up. Without hesitating Sharpner continued his assault, throwing punch after punch and kick after kick. Videl was able to dodge the first few, but soon he was breaking through her guard and blows rained down on her like a hail storm.

And then he got her. Sharpner landed the sole of his foot on her sternum and she felt all the air leaving her lungs. He had obviously infused the kick with a serious amount of Ki, since she was lifted off her feet like a flower petal in a hurricane. She couldn't stop. She just flew backwards until her back smacked into a tree. The wooden giant groaned and branches snapped, pelting her with sawdust and twigs.

Her back hurt like the seven hells. She tried to fight herself back up, but Videl couldn't. She saw Sharpner, Gohan, and Seventeen hurrying up to her, all of their faces betraying concern, but as she lost consciousness and closed her lids, all she could see were Mark's eyes staring back at her, a desperation in them that frightened her.

...

Humans were so predictable. It was almost a bit sad.

The man regarded the building in front of him. It seemed small and insignificant, but inside there was a treasure's worth on information. He could almost smell it. This was what he needed, and he always got whatever his heart desired. Always.

A woman walked by and looked at him. She didn't seem like the friendly type, and neither did that little Pekingese that that she likely insisted on calling a dog. It was quite amusing, actually. He never got the normal responses. Then again, a man like him wasn't your everyday sight.

He entered. Glass doors slid open automatically. Despite how he couldn't actually feel the air conditioning, he was certain it was pleasantly cool inside; he could hear the steady hum of the AC battling the summer heat outside.

A girl was sitting behind the counter. The man supposed there was no better place to start. He creeped along the floor without even making a single sound. A little golden bell was perched atop of the counter, one of those you would see at a fancy hotel to make the bellhop appear.

He tapped it and it gave a nice and firm ringing noise. The girl nearly fell from her chair, startled. She looked up at him with a hand on her heart, her breathing heavy and uneven. As soon as she had her eyes on him, she seemed to shrink back. It was the usual response, so he paid it no mind.

"Hello Miss," the man said. "Mind if I ask you a question?"

The girl stuck the pen she was holding in a mess of blonde hair. "Sure thing." She never dropped the wary glances.

"I have been told that this is the head office for the Son Dojo," the man said, giving the girl a smile that he hoped came across as friendly. "I was hoping that you could point me in the direction of the man who runs this whole business."

The girl was hesitant to reply. "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid I can't disclose that information at this this moment."

"Oh really?" the man asked, feigning his surprise. "Well can I at least leave the man a message?"

"Sure," the girl drew a notepad in closer. 'What can I tell him?"

"Just that I've been looking for him," the man told her. "And my name doesn't matter at this point in time." He could see the question bubbling up the girl's throat as he said that. "Just tell him that I am interested in following his classes."

The man turned on his heels and started for the exit. He glanced over his shoulder one last time. The girl still had her eyes on him.

"Did anybody ever tell you that you have a pretty face?" He smirked and left, leaving the girl puzzled.

…

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	25. Chapter 25

**This chapter was brought to you by kalebxdd and Kakarot Son.**

...

The renovations were starting to look pretty damn good, Gohan had to admit to that.

He had opted to build the new dojo right where the old one had once stood, before the flames had consumed it and turned it to ashes. Gohan felt that it would be the best place. In his mind it was almost symbolic; like a phoenix rising from its ashes and blooming into new life. Perhaps it was corny, but that didn't matter to him. Just seeing his hard work paying off once more was all the satisfaction that he needed.

The structure of the building resembled the old dojo. He wasn't really one to stray from the old formula, so he saw no reason to fix what wasn't broken. He would, however, have the inside renovated with loads of new equipment now that he could afford it. Gohan had been smart enough to close off an insurance deal even before the old dojo went into business. When it had burned to the ground, the amount of money that had been paid out could've easily been mistaken for a phone number.

Happy that everything was going the way he liked to see it, Gohan walked away from the construction site. He was about two blocks away from the place where most of his administration happened and he thought it might be wise to pay it a visit, even if it was just to have some small talk with Erasa. The blonde had been left to her own devices for some time now and Gohan was sure she would love a chance to interact with some people other than those mindless, underdressed girls she called her friends. The potted plant in the corner wasn't exactly pleasurable company.

Sure enough, the girl beamed at him from the very moment he stepped through the automatic doors. It was pleasantly cool inside, the AC humming steady. Gohan walked over to the counter and couldn't resist tapping the little gold bell perched on top of it, making Erasa giggle.

"Hey Gohan," she said, smiling wide. "How've things been?"

"Pretty good!" Gohan said enthusiastically. "The new dojo should be done in a week or two, so that means we can get out of the forest really soon." Not that Gohan minded training in nature at all; he was a mountain boy at heart. it was just that his students seemed to be taking a life away from luxury pretty hard.

"Oh cool!" Erasa cheered. "That means I can finally go out shopping with Videl again on the weekends. But don't tell her I said that, or else she'll never leave that mountain and live as a recluse for the rest of her life."

Gohan laughed at that. "Do you think so? She might not be one to enjoy putting on dresses all day, but I don't think she enjoys sleeping in the mud all that much either."

There was a bit of a silence between them, but Erasa piped up with something quite remarkable.

"Oh, I forgot to mention," the blonde said, "A man came by here two days ago. He asked to see you."

"Oh? Did you happen to get his name?"

"Eh no," Erasa admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. "He just asked where he could find you, but when I told him that I couldn't say that, he just left. All he wanted me to tell you was that he would be looking for you."

Gohan scrunched his eyebrows together. "Okay, strange. What did he look like?"

Erasa tapped a pencil to her chin, digging in her memory. "he had these really weird goggles on, with red lenses in them. And he had this really long braid as well, it almost came to his kneecaps."

Gohan didn't recognize anyone by that description. "Hmmh, well if he comes by again give him the address to where the dojo is being built. If he still wants to meet me you can tell him I will be there the whole day on Saturday, two weeks from now."

Erasa wrote all of that down on the notepad in front of her. "Okidoki, will do."

After that, Gohan had to leave. It was time to get back to the training site and see if he could help wherever needed. He might not have a student on his hands at the moment, but that didn't mean he was just going to sit around.

He just wished that something exciting would happen soon. He could really use it.

Mark brushed the branches of an old tree aside, careful to not let it swat him in the face. Going through these dense woods was hard work, but he had to persevere. He was on a mission and he would damned if he didn't complete it.

It had been two days since Mark had left the training camp. That also meant that he had been travelling for two whole days and that was really starting to get to him. He had gotten the off chance to nap a bit on a bus ride here and there, but he hadn't gotten more than four hours of shut-eye ever since he had started his journey. If he could look at himself in the mirror now the bags under his eyes would likely terrify him.

Mark wanted to just drop himself down and dream of nothing for the next fifteen hours, but of course that was not option. Not now that he had decided to go rogue and play the hero. He had a responsibility now, a quest to finish. And that mission was leading him deeper into these woods, with nothing ahead but more trees and shrubs.

The boy groaned when one of the branches he was pushing aside slipped from his hands. The damn thing smacked him across the cheek, leaving the skin chafed and raw. That wasn't the only annoyance that the forest brought along. There was also the tangled tree roots that he kept tripping over, as well as the mess of pine needles that made his hair look like a bird's nest. If he ever got done with this he would dedicate his life to mowing down every tree in existence. See if they enjoyed being notebooks, those damn wooden bastards.

Walking around like this gave him some much needed time to reflect on his journey, though. Mark had started off in the heart of the city that carried his last name. There he had undergone a transformation. Gone were the long raven strands that he and his sister almost used as a trademark. he had sat in the barber's chair and watched as the hairdresser stripped him from the mane he once prided himself for. When he finally had the crew cut down he had gone and given it another colour, a very light shade of blonde.

When all was done at the hairdresser, Mark had gone to one of those fun shops that sold horrible April's Fools articles. Somewhere in the back he had found dozens of contact lenses in every colour that he could imagine. He had opted for the green ones. When he had put them in and found a mirror to study himself, it startled him to see how much he looked like the Golden Warriors from the Cell Games. Sure, it was what he had aimed for, but the resemblance was uncanny. Just seeing his own reflection made him feel beyond powerful.

After he had done everything he could to change his looks, to 'wash the Satan off' as he called it in his mind, Mark had gone to the nearest ATM machine. He had held his breath throughout the entire transaction, but luck was on his side that day. his father hadn't blocked his account, or at least not yet. The thick stacks of cash that rolled out of the machine were hastily put in the duffle bag that he kept on his shoulder. After that he snapped his ATM card in half. he had no use for it from then on.

The letter that Mark had burned before his father's eyes contained an address. The address to this General's house. Mark had memorized it and had made it his destination. It wasn't too far away from Satan City, much to his surprise. It had taken him about a day to get there by public transport.

When he had finally found the house, Mark had wasted no time knocking politely. He had kicked the door in without the littlest bit of hesitation, tearing the wood from its hinges and watching it fly halfway across the hall. Some part of Mark had expected this General to look up from plate of lasagna and away from his six o'clock TV show, but the house had been vacant. not just devoid of life and devoid of furniture. All that he could find was a pile of unopened letters next to the mail slot.

It had been a decoy address. Wherever this General was residing, it certainly wasn't here. But if he was getting his mail on this address, then he would have to come by sooner or later to pick it up. Mark thought it best to sit and wait. If not for the General, then for the person who ran his errands. Mark reckoned that a man like him would like to keep out of the limelight as much as he could.

Mark had been right about that. A boy of about his age had entered the house that very evening. Mark had been sitting around the door to the living room, sunken through his knees and ready to pounce. One the kid was bent over to collect the pile of envelopes, Mark had jumped him and wrestled him to the floor with ease.

After beating the unnamed kid bloody just enough, Mark had managed to pry the General's actual address out of him. he had to hand it to the guy, though; it had taken him a full twenty minutes of smashing and hammering before he got the information that he needed. When he had been informed enough, Mark had left, making his way to the forest he was currently plowing through.

He should be getting close now, Mark thought. These woods were silent and devoid of most lifeforms. A freaking house would have to stand out in some way or shape.

Much to the boy's chagrin it took at least three more hours before he found something worthwhile. If he hadn't been staring at his own feet he would've missed it completely. The sky was turning dark above him, making it even harder to make anything out.

Hidden beneath a pile of dead leaves was a door. It was painted a vague colour of green, most likely done so to have it blend in with the surrounding environment. Mark had no doubt that this was the place where he had to be. Sinking through his knees, Mark forced the door open and went inside.

It was a small drop down, just far enough so that he could still see the forest floor reach up to his chin. Now he stood in hallway so slim that he had to work his way through facing sideways. By the time he reached the next room his back was sore.

The adjacent room was much larger, though. He could stand upright here and his body thanked him for that. He tried to look around, but all the could see were the outlines of towers of papers scattered throughout the space. There was no one there. Mark gulped. If this General wasn't here he was likely already on his way to the training site. Perhaps the best thing he could do was get out of here and contact Gohan.

Yes, that seemed like the smartest plan. Given that the side table was layered with dust at least a week old it was clear that no one had been there for quite some time. Mark hurried his way out of the building. This had just turned into a race against time and for now he was on the losing end.

Maybe there was no way to win this, but the least he could do was warn everyone up front. But in order to do that he would have to get out of the forest first, to a place where he would have a proper cellphone signal. And even then he would have to pray that either Gohan or Videl would have their cellulars on their person. If they didn't he would really have to haul ass.

And then the clock in his mind started its countdown. All that he could do was not make it the final one.

...

Hercule twiddled his thumbs, twitching slightly as he stared at the phone lying in his lap. His jaw was clenched a little, his posture stiff, as he watched the television mounted on the wall in front of him.

Unfortunately, the other dojo in town was beginning to rebuild. Like ants scurrying to rebuild an ant hole that had just been crushed. After the place had burned down, the number of students transferring from his own dojo to that other one had rapidly dwindled - very few people finding the idea of flying out all the way to some remote territory that formerly belonged to the Ox-King appealing. A few had even come back to him.

Not Videl, though. Or Mark. No, there was something in that _stupid_ place, full of dishonourable 'martial artists' who didn't respect the traditional ways, that those two saw. Hercule had spent a fair amount of time trying to decipher just what it was that they found so intriguing, even going so far as to dabble in the use of 'Ki' as they had called it, but the champ had come up with nothing. There was nothing special about any of it; at the end of the day they were nothing more than fancy light tricks that packed a bit of punch.

Nothing that a gun couldn't do better. Ki, Hercule had concluded, had absolutely nothing to do with martial arts other than the fact that it provided a wall for those who were too scared to dedicate their lives to fighting the way he had to stand behind.

It was a little ironic that burning down the dojo had brought more media attention to it, now that it was beginning to rebuild. Hercule supposed that it didn't do much for the dojo's reputation but it was the very principle of having somehow helped the enemy that rubbed him the wrong way.

He stared at the glass of whiskey sitting to the side of him, the liquid almost tempting him with a coppery glint. He fought his temptation to indulge in the alcohol, reasoning that very soon it would all be over. Videl would come crawling back to him eventually and Mark… well to be honest, he didn't really care what happened to that boy at the moment. Definitely not after the ungrateful words that he, his own son, had been all too willing to stab like a dagger into Hercule's unsuspecting heart.

It was with a weary eye that held the slightest promise of triumph that Hercule watched as the news program explained that old students were expected to return to the dojo by the end of the week and that new ones were welcome to join from the following week onwards.

Unacceptable.

...

The easiness with which the stream seemed to move along unnerved her. It did not at all reflect how she felt on the inside. Videl's mind was a raging thunderstorm as she sat at the edge of the water, seeing her own eyes stare back at her from the rippling aqua.

The girl heaved a sigh and buried her face in her palms. She did not know what to do. She had been this upset ever since the conversation she had shared with her brother two days prior. She had acted like a role model of a sister, gracing Mark with all the yesses that she could force over her lips. She had told him that she would let him do what he had to do, let him possibly endanger himself for both of their sakes. She had swallowed her pride at that moment and now it was burning like a hot, glowing coal inside her stomach.

The worst of it all was her ignorance. She couldn't guess what Mark was doing if her life depended on it. All she did know was that her brother was risking his own safety right this very moment. He was putting his life on the line for her, for Gohan, for all of them, and there was no way that Videl could find out how. Even knowing what he was up to might aid her, but of course Mark had decided not to let her in on his secret. That's the way he had always been, even when they were little kids. In Mark's mind this was probably just like the time that he had been smoking cigarettes in secret; nobody was allowed to know, Videl most of all. The only difference was that this time he could actually die.

Videl's giggles were muffled into the palm of her hands. She didn't know if they were the product of all the silliness that seemed to envelop her, or her quiet rage, but she still laughed anyway. She needed to laugh. It was very much possible that she wouldn't have a reason to smile soon.

The girl's hands trailed off as much as her thoughts. She was unaware of how she was plucking grass from the soil around her. All her eyes registered were the blades drifting in the afternoon wind and landing on the water, creating ripples so tranquil that they made her want to fall asleep.

Noting that that would be a good idea, Videl sprawled herself out, spread-eagle, in the sea of green that threatened to swallow her. The grass tickled her cheeks and she felt herself relaxing. She managed to stare up at the sky and not fall asleep, hard as it may have been. No matter how much she wanted to shut her eyes and dream of nothing, her mind would not allow her to.

She still had far too much to think about.

Her father was up to something. Something big. Her sense of reasoning told her that whatever Mark was doing held relations to the man that had brought them into this world. He had not given mention of it, but of that much she was sure. Daddy had done a terrific job of destroying his own children's trust in him, Mark most of all. That in turn made Videl wonder just what her father was planning on, if it was able to bring Mark's life into jeopardy. She had played that particular guessing game before, to no avail. No matter how she crunched the numbers, analyzed the data, a conclusion was impossible to reach.

Clouds drifted by, once again painting a stark contrast with the girl lying in the field. Videl did not like the train of thought she was riding at this moment. She knew damn well that it was going to get her angry. It was only a matter of time.

A single word kept flashing inside her brains like an emergency alarm, comparable to one of those cartoons where giant screens blare on about a nuclear meltdown. Her own power plant was about blow up; she could feel the throbbing at her temples. That same word just wouldn't stop plaguing her, those simple six letters.

_Father. _

The man who whispered to her that he loved her every single day of her existence. The man who had raised her after her mother had passed away. The man who had given up everything to be able to provide for his children when they most needed it.

That man was a filthy liar.

She had no doubt that Hercule loved her to bits. The way he seemed to push everything that _she _liked away from her was the proof of that. Granted, she mostly liked things that threatened her life, but her father would do whatever was in his power to harness her safety. True enough, Hercule had also raised his children on his own, not with the help of an outside party. A part of Videl still admired him for that. For several years Hercule had given up all the he could offer, just so that his children could eat and extra slice of bread in the morning and brush their teeth with a proper brand, not store bought. Of course that had changed when he had reached fame, but that had always seemed like a natural thing to her. She couldn't expect him to be around all the time when he was providing for her and her brother, and it wasn't like she was missing out on anything. She now had a maid to help her with her homework and to cook her dinner. She would now get every present that she could ever wish for. Up until three months ago she would have said that she lived the perfect life, aside from the occasional strife with Mark.

Too bad that she had been living a fallacy.

Nothing about her life was in the least bit true. Her father had lied and cheated his way to greatness, blind to the consequences that were tied to it all. He did not have any regard for possible outcomes. All that he cared about was the attention of the crowd, the cameras flashing and capturing his every move, the money that seemed to be pouring in faster than he was able to spend it.

Not once had he given thought to what might happen if the truth arose. Hercule hadn't stood still for one single second to the consequences of his actions, nor who it might affect if everything was to blow up in his face. He had no sense of decency about it. He could not even give the credit where it was due.

Videl, now aggravated, sat upright and grumbled to herself. She began plucking from the grass again, this time with an aggression that she didn't know she had within herself. Clumps of soil came loose, showering her legs in dirt and debris. She could feel tears burning but refused to let them fall, looking at the mess she was making of herself through watery eyes.

Daddy hadn't defeated Cell, she reflected as she flung a ball of dirt into the river. The thing crashed and shattered the surface, drops glistening in the air like the tears Videl was forcing back. Her father had lied the last seven years together with such an ease that it seemed like a second nature. And everyone believed it. No one questioned Hercule's ability to destroy the most fearsome monster to ever threaten the planet. Everyone just assumed that he had done the job, even after hearing that Cell had decimated the entire national army in one fell swoop. it was as if no one cared to look into it further.

No one acknowledged the true hero that saved them all that day. They did not even know his name, or not his real one at least. They had stuck that ridiculous label on him, Delivery Boy. It was pathetic to know that a warrior of such prowess, someone who was able to defeat Cell at the tender age of eleven, maybe twelve, would be forgotten in the annals of history, replaced by her very own father, a goofy asshole with a porno moustache and frazzy afro.

The last clump of earth made it all the way across the stream, falling down in the grass across from it with a dull thud. Videl fell back, unable to contain her tears now. She was living the life that Gohan should be leading. The guilt of it tore her insides to shreds and there was nothing that she could do to change it. Even if she did confront her father, it wouldn't change a damn thing. And if she made it public she would also become an outcast, stamped as a pariah for actions she had never even committed.

She cried until there were no more tears to spill. It was all too much on her. Her father's lies, her brother's recklessness, all of it. And she couldn't talk about it to anyone. The only person she considered worthy of her sadness was Gohan, but the boy had left early in the morning, claiming that he had business to take care of. If he had been here she could have used his shoulder to cry on, but in his absence all that remained was to lay in the grass and wallow in her self-pity.

"What's the matter, angel face?" A voice rose her from her musings. Videl wiped the tears from her eyes with her arm, sitting up to glare at whoever had to nerve to disrupt her moment of emotional breakdown. Seventeen was sitting on the riverbank, half a smile on his face and his normally cold eyes expressing something that her messed up mind read to be pity. Anger swelled up inside of her, unjust as it may have been.

"What?" Videl bit at him. She glared at him through her fingers, not wanting to look at him directly.

"Now now," Seventeen chuckled. "Easy on the attitude, Missy. I haven't done anything wrong."

True enough, but she wasn't going to let him off easy being in this mood. "You called me angel face."

"Did I now?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Ah well, it's the truth."

Videl felt the heat rising to her cheeks, but she couldn't distinguish whether it was from embarrassment or anger. "Why are you here?" She hoped that the hostility in her voice made him want to back off, but she knew all too well that her hope was idle. She knew her Sensei longer than today.

"Well I was looking for my pupil and wanted to see if she was up for some training, we've been taking far too much leisure time lately," Seventeen said, "But instead of finding her all ready to deal some blows I see her lying in the grass and crying of reasons I don't know about." He counted this on his fingers as if it were some mathematical equation. Videl felt mocked.

"Well it's none of your damn business," she layered her voice with all the venom that she could muster. "So how about you back off of my case and let me cry for a while. Girls do that, you know."

"Yeah, but you're not just any girl," Seventeen quipped. "You're Videl Satan, certified badass and anything but a crier."

"Don't you dare dictate me on what I can and can't do," Videl huffed. "Would you please go away? I'm not in the mood for any of your training today."

"Nope, can't do that," Seventeen said, teasing. "I won't go until you've landed a punch on me. It looks like you could use the release." Seventeen rose from the grass and trotted over to his student, a hand outstretched. Videl batted it away and gave him the angriest glare that she could force onto her face.

"Good, good," Seventeen commented. "But not good enough. Get real angry with me. I can't feel enough hate yet. C'mon." He did a weird kind of two-step, obviously meant to amuse her, but all it did was piss her off, just the way he wanted it to turn out. Videl was doubting between giving him his way and just hailing punches down on that pretty boy face of his and walking away. The former seemed like the more attractive option, but the only issue was that there was no way in hell that she could get near him if he decided to avoid her.

"What is up with you today?" Videl said. "Normally all you do is bitch at me like I'm some kind of stray dog. What's with the jolly attitude?"

"No idea," Seventeen replied. "Just in a good mood, I guess. Now get up off the ground and fucking punch me already."

"Do I really have to?"

"Yes you do," Seventeen flashed her a smirk that made her insides turn to water for some reason. "If not for you, do it for me," there was that teasing tone again. "It's been too long since I've had a proper beating."

"Goddamnit Seventeen, I told you to knock it off!" Now she was angry, just the way he wanted it. Fine, if he desired to get his face busted that bad, she would be delighted to give him his wish. She got up too, dusting off her legs, and took a fighting stance.

She didn't warn him but rather just wailed at him. Her fist went right for his face, that stupid, smiling and annoyingly handsome face, and missed. Seventeen just tipped his head to the side like a dog interested in something. Videl tried to bring the blow back around, aiming for his temple. Seventeen ducked low and followed with a jump to avoid the kick aimed at his legs.

"That's a lot better!" Seventeen remarked. "You can do better though. Try to _concentrate _your anger. Don't just hit around blindly but focus every bit of rage into a single point." He tapped his nose. "Like here, for example."

Videl groaned as she swung and missed again. She charged as much Ki as she could into her blows and by the fourth consecutive punch she was tired. But that didn't stop her. On the contrary, every missed attack fueled her with a rage that she didn't know she possessed, giving her new wind.

"Fantastic! Marvelous!" Seventeen laughed, amusement on his face. "Hey, has anyone ever told you that you're pretty when you're angry?"

"STOP CALLING ME PRETTY!"

"But you are," Seventeen smiled as he stepped aside from a kick to the stomach. For a second Videl actually believed his words, but then shrugged. He didn't think of her that way; if he did he wouldn't tease her so relentlessly. "I feel like I could almost kiss you."

"DON'T JOKE ABOUT THAT!" Videl had Seventeen pinned against a tree now. There was no escape for him, no way out. She threw a punch filled with every little bit of power that she could find. Her fist made contact, but not with Seventeen's face. Her knuckles smashed into the tree, boring a hole the size of a softball in its trunk. Seventeen was gone.

"Wh-what?!"

"I don't joke about that..." She heard her Sensei's voice, the sound of it but a whisper. Videl turned on her heels and saw him. She wanted to make a move, but before she knew it Seventeen had her hands pinned above her head.

She stared into his eyes, losing herself in that icy cold blue that at times could mirror her own. She was mesmerized, unable to move. Their noses were almost touching, their faces only inches from each other. She could actually feel his breath on her face, warm as an autumn breeze.

"S-Seventeen? Wh-What did you just say?" Videl mumbled the words, her reasonable sense of speech lost somewhere in the deep blue of Seventeen's eyes. His breath smelled of mint, she reflected, a lemony kind with a hint of sweetness. Why she was thinking this, she didn't know. But she did not want him to back off either. In fact, although she may never admit it to herself, she was hoping for the opposite.

"I said I never joke about that..." A tinge of red creeped over her Sensei's cheeks, drawing a stark contrast to the pale milkiness of his skin. The sight of it immobilized her even more, as if she wasn't feeling rigid enough. Her back was pressed against the tree, holding her in place.

"J-Joke about what?" Videl questioned. She wanted to say more, but the words never got over her lips.

"About this..." Seventeen gave her a stare so intense that she would've dropped to the ground if he hadn't been holding her up. Then, without warning, he moved his face forward, catching her by surprise. His lips touched hers, softly at first. His kiss was almost gentle and shy, but it lifted her off her feet with ease, making her soar at the sensation.

Seventeen pulled back, his face flushed. Neither one of them said a word. Neither one of them moved. They just looked at each other, silent as the grave. The ecstasy of the kiss hung around them, almost palpable.

Videl wanted to say something to him, the man who had robbed her of her very first kiss. Yet no words would leave her. There was no way to describe how she felt, not even if she tried.

But she did move, however. She closed the gap between them, locking lips with Seventeen once again. She had the upper-hand this time and she'd be damned if he didn't know it. She kissed him roughly, savoring that hint of sweetness that she had smelled on his breath before.

She opened her mouth a little, just enough to free her tongue of its prison. Seventeen picked up on this and reciprocated. All thoughts left her then and there.

When she finally pulled back, she felt like heaven.

Seventeen, however, looked stupefied. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but he voiced himself before she could.

"T-This was a mistake. I have to go."

And then he just upped and left, with no words to spare. Videl could only stare at his back while he walked away, slumping against the tree trunk.

What the hell had just happened?

...


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: Team Dragon Star doesn't own DBZ. This story is meant purely for entertainment purposes. **

**This chapter was brought to you by Kakarot Son and kalebxdd**

* * *

><p>Mark awoke with a start, his breathing heavy and his eyes darting to everywhere around him. After having determined that the coast was clear he sat up, immediately relieved to feel the branches he had been sleeping on leaving his back. He cracked the joints in his neck and heaved a deep sigh before rising to his feet.<p>

With a swift movement Mark scooped his duffle bag off the forest floor. He yanked it open and grabbed around inside of it, eventually finding what he had been looking for. He tapped the button on the side of his cellular phone, praying to Kami that it hadn't run out of battery, which it hadn't. But, seeing as how luck was rarely at his side these days, he had no signal whatsoever.

Mark growled and promptly started walking. Just yesterday he had uncovered the General's secret hideout on the side of some unnamed mountain. The place had been deserted, which had scared to boy to his very core. Seeing it so vacant only made him press for time; someone very, very dangerous was making his way to the training camp where his sister and all of his friends were residing.

Of course, the first thing that his proper sense of reasoning had told him to was call. Unfortunately telecom providers did not give a single shit for people walking in forests, so he had no signal to go on from the very beginning. He had tried, just like he was doing at this exact moment. Just like now, he pressed his phone to his ear so tightly that it might stick there if he let go of it. And, like yesterday, the phone went dead straight away from the second he tried to make a call.

Mark cursed aloud, scaring away some of birds which had taken to rest in the trees. Given how the first rays of sunlight were only now creeping through the branches, he had given them a rude awakening. He stuffed his phone back into his duffle bag, keeping in mind that he would be out of these woods very soon and that there was a slim possibility that he might be able to contact either Gohan or Videl. He ignored his sense of reasoning, which told him that if couldn't get a bar or reach in between the trees that they sure as hell wouldn't be able to either.

Mark had trekked through these woods for the majority of the night. He had done all that to get back to camp as quick as he possibly could. Despite the imminent threat and race against time that he was currently running, he still wished he hadn't done something so stupid. There was nothing more uncomfortable than waking up with half a tree wedged up your ass crack and leaves between your teeth. It had left him a grumpy and sullen mess and with every step he took he made another small prayer in hopes of leaving this awful place as soon as he could.

Then he got an idea. It came so suddenly that he almost missed the cartoonish lightbulb above his head. Remembering his training, Mark spread his Ki throughout his body, making sure that he kept circulating the energy like it was his bloodstream. Once he had gotten accustomed to the feeling he charged the energy to his legs. They felt like they were being placed under a mild electrical current, a weird yet almost delightful tingling sensation.

Mark smirked. He halted and pressed his left heel into the moldy soil, leaning his weight onto the toes of his right leg. He waited for just another second and then sped off, running like the wind with the aid of his own energy.

Mark whooped as loud as he could, feeling overjoyed at the new sensation. Never had he imagined that he would be able to run _this _fast and so light on his feet. He was at least going a proper fifty miles per hour and likely even more. Before he knew it he could already hear the sounds of the nearby freeway. Mark smiled, letting his legs carry him without any shred of difficulty. He felt like he could keep this up for at least another half hour, which in turn got him excited about seeing his training progress.

His reflexes were the best, though. By traveling at this speed it seemed as though everything else around him slowed in time. The hummingbirds that flew past were going at the speed of morbidly obese pigeons. Mark thought he could just pluck them out of the air as he went past. Whenever a new tree crossed his path it cost him no trouble to step to the side and barrel past it.

It turned out that his estimates had been off somewhat. When Mark finally got out of the forest ten minutes later, he was feeling winded. His breathing was heavier and his legs were shaking, but other than that he was faring well. He would just have to eat something real quick and take a minute of rest and he would be good to go for another quarter of an hour. Come to think of it, with the speed at which he was now moving along, he could afford to loiter around for at least half an hour and he would still arrive at the expected time.

That was, however, not an option right now. No matter how fast he could reach camp, he should still aim at getting there faster. Mark pondered taking a bus towards Satan City. It would take him to the concrete jungle within three hours if there weren't too many stops on the way over. From there on it would be at least another hour to make his way through the forest.

Mark pulled open his duffle bag and retrieved sandwiches which he had purchased at a truck stop the previous day. He munched them down as fast as he could. Waiting for the bus would be nothing but an inconvenience. He would just stretch his legs a bit and run there. He felt almost bad for enjoying such a dangerous situation this much, but he was feeling a little drunk on this newfound power.

The General should better watch his back. Mark Satan was on his way and ready to kick some ass.

* * *

><p>Videl Satan huffed in her annoyance, kicking up a pile of leaves and watching them dance in the currents of the soft summer breeze. She was feeling confused. Again. It wasn't exactly a rarity to her to have her head be this hazy, jumbled mess filled with thoughts, wishes, ideas and possible doom scenarios, but this time was an exception for sure.<p>

To say that she had lived a hard life would be a bit of an exaggeration. She had been catered to her every need and she could practically wipe her ass with money, so on that side of the fence there hadn't been a challenge to be seen. But the family genes wouldn't allow her to live a lazy life. So she had opted to put her talents to good use, make something out of herself.

That had worked in her favor for the better part. She got a job working for the police and she got her official ass-kicking certificate, knocking down crooks that were too big for their britches. People loved her for it and she loved the people. It was rewarding and for the first time in her life she felt that she was making a difference.

It did have its downsides, though. Her last name was the biggest one; it kept her tied on a leash, never giving her a chance to escape from her father's shadow. While everyone cheered when she showed her prowess, she understood on the inside that they were only applauding everything that was Satan about her. They didn't care about Videl or who she was, at least not until they could place her in a scandalizing headline and tarnish her reputation.

That had been her reasoning to join the new dojo. Perhaps a fresh and new approach to her fighting skills would allow her to really blossom and earn her rights as an individual in the eye of the public. Just thinking of this made her sigh and shake her head; the idea that she had once cared how the whole world felt about her now seemed pathetic to her. The past few weeks had given her more life experience than nineteen years under her father's wing had accomplished.

And after that, even far more than she had bargained for.

Videl swatted a branch aside, hearing the bubbling and rushing of the stream off in the distance. She reckoned that he might be there and seeing him was now her top priority. It was his fault that she felt this messed up, so she would be damned if he did not straighten it out.

In between all the fighting, the training, the shopping with Erasa and even more fighting, Videl had never had a lot of time to herself. Not that she minded, because all the things that the textbooks told her a teenage girl should do bored her anyway. Sure, she'd put up with Erasa forcing paint on her toenails or dragging her through twenty different shoe stores. She would even allow Sharpner to make some sleazy attempt to woo her, but other than that she would consider herself anything but ordinary.

For example, she had never anticipated that the one thing to turn her whole world upside down would be, of everything, a boy.

She just wasn't meant for love, she had always thought. Just saying the words to herself made her want to gag on the cliché, but that was what she truly believed. Some people were meant for love, others for great achievements. Videl had always felt a part of the latter group. It wasn't that she hated the thought of being in such a commitment, nor did she completely shy away from the thought, but for some reason she felt obligated to dedicate her life to something greater than her own desires, even if she had to sacrifice her happiness to do so.

That was until the joined Gohan's dojo. This was the very first place where she wasn't immediately judged on who she was and how she handled herself. There was no system of ranks that she had to fight her way up in order to feel validated. She was left to her own devices and she was accepted for being who she was. She could just be Videl, nothing more and nothing less. That amount of freedom had rattled her to her core.

The person responsible for that was none other than Gohan, of course. Her old Sensei had changed her life in ways that even he himself probably didn't know about. All he had done at first was beat her bloody, but then extending a hand to help her to her feet. This weird mixture of character traits had lured her to him like a bee chasing after pollen. To this day it still eluded her how someone could express a tranquility like Gohan did, yet still be able to terrify with a mere look of his eyes.

Videl stepped from between the trees, brushing away the pine needles that clung to her clothes. She almost stumbled over her own feet when the next thought popped into her mind.

She had always wanted to be around Gohan whenever she could. Every chance to be near him she would grasp with both hands. Being in his presence just soothed her in a way that she couldn't explain. It was like his existence managed to cancel out her fiery temper. The philosopher inside of her wanted to call the two of them yin and yang.

Heat rose to her cheeks. If she were to express these thoughts vocally she would have to point out to herself that she had something of a crush on Gohan. She shook her head and her dark hair swished around her. No, that couldn't be. Not once had being around Gohan felt the way they described it in the books. There was no extreme yearning that made her heart ache. She did not feel like some empty void whenever he was not near her. She wasn't a helpless maid in despair when he wasn't by her side.

So her logic told her that having a crush on Gohan was out of the question. Unfortunately, though, Videl had always been one to let her emotions take over her sense of reason whenever she saw it fit. Straight after she banished the idea of being enamoured, she felt her stomach clench painfully, as if her body wouldn't allow such a fallacy.

A lie? Yes, that would be a lie alright. Perhaps she wasn't head over heels madly in love, but the feelings were definitely there. They always came to the light when Gohan was within her field of vision. She might not feel terrible when he wasn't around, but she did feel miles better if she could just see him. In his presence she could fully relax and be herself. He had always taken her for who she was and he had never made a move to try and change her. She had never met anyone who made her feel that way.

And, Videl admitted while a blush reddened her cheeks, he wasn't that bad of a looker either. Not at all, really.

Videl growled from deep within her throat. She spun on her heels and allowed gravity to take her down, landing spread-eagled in the grass. She closed her eyes, hoping that it could give her the solitude she suddenly needed more than anything.

She liked Gohan, so there was that. She had no idea whether or not the feelings were mutual, but she could live with it if it wasn't so. What truly disturbed her peace at the moment was Seventeen.

Out of nowhere he had planted a kiss on her, no warning up front. There hadn't been any signals from his end to show his interest and Videl hadn't given them off herself for as far as she was aware. It had come as sudden as snow on an August day. And while her mind was still trying to process whatever had happened, Seventeen disappeared into the forest, leaving her alone and baffled.

"Goddamnit, Sev," Videl mumbled to herself. 'Why'd you do this to me?"

"It's not like I wanted to mess you up or anything."

Videl opened her eyes and turned to the source of the voice. She found him sitting up in a tree, his legs swung lazily over one of the branches and his back against the trunk. Seventeen avoided her direct gaze. The young man jumped down from a great height, landing on his tiptoes.

Videl got up from the grass and walked over to him. They stood there facing each other for a while, neither of them saying a single word.

"So," Videl broke the ice. "Let's not beat around the bush. You kissed me yesterday. Why?"

Seventeen sighed. "Oh Videl, always so direct." He removed his bangs from his face. "Fine. I kissed you, okay? But I have to admit that it was impossible to resist the temptation."

Videl blinked at him. "Temptation? So you're saying that I'm just some piece of meat to you that you can use for whatever you please?" It was a harsh thing to assume, let alone say, but Videl was keen on getting to the bottom of this as soon as possible. If she had to get her bitchface on then so be it.

Seventeen sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of course not. Be reasonable for a second here, okay? Look, how would you describe my personality?"

Videl pondered insulting him for a moment. Kami knew he had given her the same treatment. "You're rude and sarcastic, smart and far too aware of it, you're cynical but you can see the bright side of things."

"Right," Seventeen said. "So think for a minute. Do you think I would be interested in a girl whose greatest passion is her favorite boy band member or what colour she is going to paint her toenails that day? Like that blonde thing you hang out with, the one that Gohan hired to work the desk?"

"Erasa?" Videl questioned. "Well, I suppose not. I think you'd go for one of those broads who consider themselves career tigers who don't need a man to get around."

Seventeen raised his brows, a small and amused smirk curled around his lips.

"Oh right," Videl said, realizing that she had just given an accurate description of herself. "But then even so, why would you ever want to be involved with someone who just insults you and curses like a sailor all day?"

Seventeen chuckled at that. "It's obvious, isn't it? I like nothing more than pissing people off. You're one of the few people who respond accordingly. What's even better is that you refuse to let me get the better of you. I like a girl who's a spitfire."

Videl pondered these words. Maybe Seventeen was right. There was no reason to view his kiss as an invitation to something more. It could've been something he did in the heat of the moment, not even thinking about it.

"Okay, fair enough," Videl told him. "So to summarize: You thought I was pretty, you liked me being feisty and when the opportunity was there you just couldn't resist." She counted these on her fingers.

"That's right."

"Okay then, I can live with that," Videl said. And she actually could. She wasn't angry at Seventeen for anything except for confusing the hell out of her and seeing how they were straightening that out she saw no reason to hold a grudge against him. "Why did you say that kissing me was a mistake?"

Seventeen smiled, his face tilted towards the sky to catch the rays of sunlight. He leaned his back against the tree and crossed his arms.

"It because I thought it would be unfair to Gohan."

Videl blinked twice. "Unfair to Gohan?" She parroted.

"Yes, that was what I just said," Seventeen chuckled with that usual air of arrogance that he always had about him. "You guys should be together and I don't intend to get in the way of that."

"So what you're saying is that you think I like Gohan?" Videl tried her best to act offended, crossing her arms and leaning her weight on one leg. "Where would you get that idea from?"

"Oh, come on! You always stare at him like he is the Eighth World Wonder or something. You always go bug-eyed and mumbly whenever he is around. Even a blind man could see it."

Videl grew as red as a ripe tomato. "What?! Why didn't anybody tell me that?"

"Because it makes you look so sweet and lovely," Seventeen laughed.

Videl glared at him. "Right, and can also make a fool out of myself in front of Gohan. Two for the price of one, whoop-dee-fucking-doo!"

Seventeen laughed from the pit of his belly. "Oh, don't fret. Gohan's exactly the same. He's a great martial arts master and he's smarter than Bulma Briefs, but he's as naive as a little child. It gets even worse when he's head over heels the way he is with you."

Videl's breath hitched in her throat. "Gohan likes _me?" _That couldn't be right. Why would he go for the girl that hated his guts for the first few weeks they had known each other? All she had done so far was either give him flack or be skeptical about his abilities. If it had been up to her she would've said 'fuck it' far earlier than Gohan had apparently done.

"Maybe..." Seventeen smiled, stretching the vowels in a teasing manner. Then he got to his feet. "But if you'll excuse me, I've got to go gather firewood now. Then I'm heading back to camp."

Videl watched him walk away, content with how things had been dealt with. Then all of a sudden a final question popped into her mind.

"Sev!" she yelled. "Why are you sticking up for Gohan like that?"

Seventeen looked over his shoulder and shrugged. "I dunno, I owe a whole awful lot to Gohan, I guess." Then he walked off, leaving Videl to question that statement.

* * *

><p>"10 million zeni."<p>

"I'll pay you half immediately and the rest two weeks after in order to ascertain that things will go smoothly."

The General scoffed. "I am not a very patient man, if it were not for the nature of this mission I would probably have turned it down."

"Just to be clear, if you ruffle a single hair on my little Videl's head, I will bring down the full force of whatever power I can muster upon you," said Hercule assertively. "And believe me when I say that I am not a man you want to screw around with."

"Give me three days," said the General, his eyes cold and unassuming as they shone with a red glint. "If you want to minimise the escalation of the situation and do not want me to engage your daughter, I must find an adequate opportunity to strike - when the black-haired one is alone, it'll be nothing but a matter of snuffing out a candle."

"Don't go killing him or anything either, just throw that rotten boyfriend of hers into hospital for a little while. I don't care about the specifics too much but I don't want blood on my hand," said the world champ as he crossed his arms over his chest. "They say you're the best in the business, I guess I'll just have to wait and find out for myself."

"I'll take the money now," said the General, his posture stiff but his denamour calm and collected, as he ignored Hercule's taunt. The man was a fool but he was a rich fool and that was all that mattered.

Hercule glanced down at the duffel bag by his feet. It was bulging with bands of cash that stretched the thin material out so far that he was sure it would forever be permanently disfigured. He twitched slightly, pausing for the briefest moment as he contemplated whether or not he was going to make a grave mistake.

Videl would undoubtedly be furious if she ever were to find out. Mark would probably try and assault him. The press would never leave him alone, reporters would probably set up tents on the footpath outside his mansion.

But they didn't have to know.

"Is there a problem?" asked the General as his lips twisted into a wry smile. He looked the real deal for sure, having evidently faced some kind severe facial injury at some point in his life. Hercule was willing to bet that he was some kind of war veteran, perhaps a retired marksman of some kind.

Hercule frowned but he tried to force himself to smile. "Not at all."

And with that, the world champ slid the duffel bag towards the heartless mercenary in front of him.

* * *

><p>"God.. dammit..." Mark was hauling himself across what seemed to be the thousandth hill that afternoon. There was sweat on his back and thick beads of it were rolling down his temples and into his eyes, stinging like holy water on a demon. He might have saved a serious amount of time by running for it instead of using either a car or public transport, but he was now regretting every second of that. Sure, running with the aid of Ki was something that he hoped he could do to the end of his days, but two consecutive hours of it was pushing the envelope.<p>

Mark could drop to his knees and pray to Kami in gratitude when he reached the top of the hill. Off in the distance, perhaps maybe a mile or three away located next to yet another heap of earth, he saw a long stream winding its way through the maze of trees. It was the stream that was located only a few hundred yards from their camp, which told Mark that the training party would be residing behind the next hill.

Sighing in bliss, Mark sat down cross-legged to take a minute and catch his breath. He would arrive at his destination within the next ten minutes or so, but he wouldn't make it that far if he forced himself to take another step now. Keeping his guard up, Mark drank some water from a bottle he had stored in his duffle bag, and then he just set there, waiting for his breathing to steady and for the hollow throb in his legs to lessen.

The boy kept his ears perked; the sounds in these woods weren't muffled by the noise of traffic, nor were there any buildings and let alone humans around to kill the songs of the woods. Mark was certain that he was able hear some of the birds chirping from at least a mile away. That was another perk of his Ki training; it had sharpened all of his five senses to amazing levels. He could see for miles and hear just as far. Food tasted beyond anything he had ever experienced, making him understand just how Gohan was able to shovel such ridiculous amounts of nutrient down the way he did.

His enhanced hearing was all that he could rely on for the moment. Mark had no clue when or where this General would strike, but logic told him that the mystery man wouldn't try and set an elaborate trap. He would likely be much more comfortable just massacring everyone within a mile wide radius. So if the training party did not move for at least another fifteen minutes, he could rely on his ears to tell him if danger arose. He would be able to hear the very first scream that would resonate through the forest.

Feeling rested, Mark got back up and prepared for his final part of the journey. It took him longer than before to charge the necessary amount of Ki to his legs. but he got it working right quick enough. Like a bullet from the chamber of a gun he sped off, the trees waving him goodbye as he rushed past them.

Running downhill was easy enough. Mark was at the bottom of the hill before he had proper time to blink. He shot off into the trees in front of him, making certain that he kept the stream visible to his left at all times. He jumped out of the way of trees and ducked under branches, he crushed moles' heaps and scared the living hell out of half the wildlife around him. Within minutes he was running up the final hill. The second he would be on top he should be able to see the clearing where camp had been set up. Perhaps, if he screamed hard enough, he could alert the rest of the group up front and get them to leave camp.

And yes, the second he set foot on the flat surface on the hilltop, Mark was able to see a big and open space. Smack in the middle he could see the ring of rocks which they used to light the campfire in. A few of the logs used for seating were still there and there was even a stray sleeping bag lying around.

Mark could hear the sound of heavy impacts coming from in between the trees not even fifty yards away from camp. That was a good thing; there would be no need to search the premises for someone that could hear him out.

Luck was on his side all of sudden. A small cluster of people walked their way back into camp that very moment. Videl was one of them, as were Gohan and Seventeen. Mark wasted no time in going down the hill. He opened his throat and screamed as loud as his exhausted lungs would allow him to.

"VIDEL!" Mark hollered. "Get out of there!"

She didn't hear him. Mark grit his teeth and pressed on, making yards upon yards within half of a second.

"Gohan! Videl! Seventeen!" Mark yelled again. "Get out of there!"

Gohan turned his head, but didn't raise it to see Mark running down from the hill. Perhaps he thought he heard a disturbance from the people still sparring. Mark hissed to himself.

And then, from the corner of his eye, Mark saw him. The man that he assumed to be the General was sitting in a tree about sixty yards away from the clearing. He was the weirdest sight that Mark had ever laid eyes upon. The man sported a metal kind of cap over his head, which ended in blood-red goggles that had been draped over his eyes. He had a pencil mustache above a grin so sickly that Mark felt his stomach turn.

Mark charged all the Ki that he could possibly muster into his legs, making him dash even faster than ever before. He screamed again.

* * *

><p>"VIDEL! HERE!" Said girl turned to the sound of the voice that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "Get out of there!" She saw her brother running down the nearest hill with a speed that she would have never perceived possible. For a minute it was all that she could think about. Then she took in his words.<p>

"Hey, that's Mark over there!" Videl pointed out. Seventeen and Gohan followed her gaze and spotted the young man running for all that he was worth.

"Get out!" it resounded again.

"Get out why?" Seventeen asked, one eyebrow arched in his curiosity. He crossed his arms. "Maybe those few days away from camp have driven him insane."

Videl was about to bite at Seventeen, tell him to shut up. Her words never got out, though.

A bang was heard, loud enough to scare the birds from their trees and to send them into the horizon while cawing all the way. Before Videl could even turn to reveal the source of the sound, she felt something warm hit her across the cheek. She pressed her fingers to it.

It was sticky and slick, she could feel that as it dripped across her neck and down her shirt. Her fingers felt glued together when she rubbed them across each other. She looked at her fingertips.

She screamed at the sight of the blood.

Some weird unseen force within herself forced Videl to turn around. Her eyes went wide,

She saw him standing there, a shocked expression on a face that was quickly losing colour. He prodded the entrance with the tip of his finger and gave a weak, watery laugh. Then his lids fell shut and he tumbled backwards, still and unmoving.

For the second time, Videl screamed.

**Team Dragon Star is a group of collaborative writers who combine our efforts to bring you stories like this one. We're an open group, meaning that everyone is welcome to apply to join on our forums. It presents a great opportunity for anyone looking to better their writing skills or be apart of a writing community.**


	27. Chapter 27

Videl screamed until her throat felt as rough as sandpaper. Seventeen stood opposite of her, looking down at his punctured torso. His eyes were distant and glossy, as if he was not aware of what had just happened. He did not respond until his heart beat once, twice, three times, pumping blood from the gaping wound as if it were a geyser.

The girl tried to approach him, setting one foot before the other with hesitancy. Without her knowledge, her hands went to her hair, pulling at the strands and tying them around her fingers. It was all she could do to keep in touch with the situation; if she did not pain herself somewhere on her body to bring herself back to reality, she was bound to faint. She did not notice how Seventeen's blood rolled down her temples in beads and made its way downward to her chin. Soon every step she took was accompanied by the near silent drip of life essence raining down on the forest floor.

More voices around her made themselves known. Some were pressing her to move, or so she thought, others were just screaming the way she had done just a moment ago. She couldn't make out their words, nor their message. She only had eyes for Seventeen and the way he just seemed to stand there, unmoving and in shock.

Videl tried to run now. The weight that had been keeping her legs down was now gone, leaving her free to pick up as much speed as she wanted to. She wasted no time, kicking off from the wet soil below her and racing the Grim Reaper. She almost stumbled over her own feet, but she pressed on. She could see the colour disappearing from Seventeen's face. That wasn't good. She was going to have to hurry or he might - no… _would _- die. She had no concern for what else happened around her, or at least not right now.

She was only five yards away from Seventeen now, two more giant steps and she would be able to force him to the ground, to at least make sure that there was no way he would be hit again.

She felt two arms wrap around her torso, locking her in place. Videl screamed until she almost tore her vocal cords. She kicked with every ounce of strength that her body could possibly muster. Her arms were trapped but she tried to hit whoever was holding her anyway. But he just wouldn't budge. Videl screamed again, feeling tears well up behind her eyes. They stung like battery acid.

"Stop it!" A voice came from behind her, a stern and demanding one. "Stop it now or you'll be killed! You can't help him now!" Videl stopped her already feeble attempts of escaping when she heard Gohan's voice. Her legs went limp and suddenly she felt no desire to struggle. It was as if her body naturally trusted Gohan. Even if her mind wouldn't believe that Gohan would handle the situation, her body certainly did.

For the first time since she had heard that _bang_ Videl had the time to process exactly what had occurred. How much time had passed since then? It couldn't have been more than a few seconds. She glanced over her shoulders and saw Mark. Her brother was running so fast that he stumbled on every step. He kept throwing looks first at the training group, then at something in the trees of which Videl had no doubt that he could see. There was also not a single trace of doubt in her mind that whatever Mark had spotted was responsible for Seventeen's state of being.

Videl turned her head back to Seventeen so violently that she was sure she smacked Gohan with her pigtails. Seventeen had not moved even a single inch. He still stood there, trying to keep his balance, his body swaying back and forth but never really falling.

"Seventeen!" Videl found her voice and screamed the words. "Please! Say something!"

Seventeen had heard her. Her Sensei turned his head slowly, looking at his pupil with blue eyes that seemed miles away. His upper lip curled only a bit. He was smiling. Smiling in the face of death. Videl felt her stomach turning when another stream of blood came out of the wound in a pulse, crimson cascading down onto the dead leaves beneath his feet. The only response Seventeen could give was a terrifying, half-demented giggle.

Videl began to fight her restrainer again, planting her heels in Gohan's upper legs. The boy behind her groaned but he did not budge. Videl screamed at him to let her go, to let her help Seventeen, to just leave her be and blindly run into the scope of some lunatic who would not hesitate to pull the trigger on her. She didn't care. Not at all.

Seventeen did move now. He leaned over a bit further as if he wanted to thoroughly inspect the wound that spewed blood over his feet. He reached for it with a finger, prodding at the entrance and hissing when he touched the exposed flesh.

Another pulse of blood. Seventeen looked up at Videl once more, then back to his wound. He tried to speak, but words wouldn't leave him. They didn't have to; Videl could read them on his lips.

"Lucky... shot... eh?"

Videl heard a noise so strange that for a second it banished all other thoughts from her mind. It sounded like two rusty gears scraping alongside each other, or perhaps the dreadful noise of train wheels coming to a stop. When Videl did collect her thoughts again she saw Seventeen, his face now as pale as snow. What she saw next did turn her stomach around.

Seventeen's wound was _growing_. Normally Videl would've called herself insane for seeing such a thing, but the wound was actually becoming bigger. It started at the center of the bullet hole. From there the open flesh ripped in two perfectly straight lines, one of which ended between both of his collarbones. Red substance was already welting on the surface. Seventeen watched the lines appear without speaking.

That dreadful noise again. Videl wanted to press her hands to her ears, make it stop at whatever cost. But Gohan was still holding her, so all she could do was watch as her Sensei bled out.

Seventeen gave a soft wheeze. Then, as if Kami had intentionally given him such a design flaw, Seventeen's entire right ribcage shifted down. She could hear the flesh tear and blood rained across the forest floor. Seventeen did his best to stay grounded and most of all silent. He didn't grunt or scream until a thin sheet of metal tore through his clothes. Videl saw that it had come from between his lowest two ribs. What it was doing there she did not know. All she did know was that the plate must've caused massive internal bleeding.

Tears were now streaming down her cheeks. She wanted to cry out but all she could was sob.

Seventeen gave one final watery laugh. Then his eyes fell shut and he tumbled backwards, landing in the grass and moving no more.

She was hardly aware of Gohan letting go of her. She didn't register her brother screaming in the distance. She did not feel the leaves sticking to her skin as she dropped to her knees, one hand clasped over her mouth. At least not at first.

The world came back to her when a sharp kind of pain suddenly inflamed her face. She looked up and saw Gohan staring back at her, his eyes burning with anger and his entire body trembling in that very rage that Videl had always feared of him. She pressed a hand to her cheek, shocked. Gohan had slapped her...

"Videl!" Gohan yelled at her. "Get to your feet now! We don't know if this guy is still anywhere near! Go away as fast as you can. Go with your brother, he can protect you!"

Videl reared her head in Mark's direction. Said boy was almost at the foot of the hill, but he wasn't looking their way anymore. His gaze was fixated on whatever he had spotted between the high branches. Videl wanted to scream at him to get away, or else he might end up like Seventeen, but her voice refused to work.

She watched as Mark suddenly braced himself. Her brother shot off into the air when he leapt, a good thirty feet at least. He was speeding like a bullet, rushing into the upper parts of the trees. Videl heard a scuffle moving around in the branches. She heard Mark groan. She heard fists connecting to flesh. She had no idea where Mark had learned to use his abilities this well, but that wasn't of any matter to her now.

Branches snapped and leaves fell down. Suddenly Mark reappeared, landing on on his feet and staring up. A man Videl had never seen before in her life dropped himself to the ground also. Most of the man's face was concealed by large red lenses that resembled goggles. One of his hands was gone but had been replaced with a long and sharp looking blade. His hair was long and black, tied into a braid that nearly reached his backside. The mystery man had no eye for her, only for Mark. The man smiled.

It was as if her brother had lost his composure. Mark swayed on his feet, his left hand pressed to his left temple. Blood seeped from between his fingers. Videl hurried back to her feet but didn't move when she heard Mark.

"Videl, no!" Mark was reeling, but at least he didn't fall back. "Don't come any closer! This man is dangerous! He wants to kill Gohan because Dad is paying him a lot of money for it!"

Videl blinked twice, not fully getting what her brother was trying to say. She knew that her father didn't mind to play dirty, but she simply could not believe that her father would hire an assassin in order to kill Gohan. It just didn't fit right.

Gohan himself was watching the scene in awe. It was as if he didn't know how to respond to this new threat. Videl screamed at him to go and help her brother, but her words were jumbled and didn't make any sense.

"God fucking damnit, Videl!" Mark cursed. "This isn't the time to play damsel in distress! If you don't get the hell out of here now you'll be as dead as Seventeen! He says he works for our father but he wouldn't hesitate to kill you if he could do so for his own gain."

That startled her good. Videl could now move again, but she didn't quite run for it.

"Mark, but what about you?"

"Don't you worry about me," Mark said. "I'll take care of this asshole right here."

"No!" Gohan had apparently found his voice. The young man stood there, his arm outstretched and a desperate look on his face. "No, Mark, you go too! I can handle this by myself."

"Did you not hear me?" Mark spat. Gohan was visibly taken aback by his sudden anger. "I said I would take care of it, ya got that? This guy is here in order to kill you, not me. This prick here knows well enough not to kill me. My dad would have him killed if he did."

The mystery man, who had kept silent until this point, gave a laugh from the hollow of his stomach. "Indeed it is so." The man gave a little bow to Mark. "I must say, your father did not seem to pleased with you, Mark. I personally don't see why. You are an excellent fighter and you are so much smarter than that man can ever hope to be."

"Don't you dare associate me with that piece of scum."

"Fine, fine," The man waved a hand with an air of nonchalance. "Whatever you say. But you really are smart. It is true that I can't kill you, but your father mentioned nothing about beating you until you are but an inch away of death."

"Fucking try me."

"With pleasure." The man raised the blade that replaced his missing hand. The sheet of metal retracted inside the man's arm and a steel hand replaced it. The man stretched the fingers once or twice, then looked at Mark. "I reckoned you'd at least want a fair fight."

Without any other semblance of a warning the two assaulted each other. They moved so fast that Videl could only see split seconds of the action. It boggled her mind, the speed at which they were moving. She could see Mark connecting a fist to the man's gut one instant, the next her brother received a kick to the ribs so hard that she could actually hear the bones crunch.

The two sprung back from one another, neither of them phased from the effort. Mark drew a scowl on his face and reared his head to Videl and Gohan.

"Gohan! Are you fucking deaf! Get your ass away from here now or I might have to kill you myself when I'm done with this bastard."

Gohan had finally gotten the hint. Videl, who had been watching the fight without blinking even once, suddenly felt a pull on her wrist. Gohan was dragging her away from the clearing and into the denser parts of the woods. She tried to resist and go back for her brother, but it was like trying to break diamond with cotton swabs. Gohan was just too strong.

Just before Mark disappeared from view Videl had the chance to scream his name one last time. Then he was gone and the only one that remained was Gohan, pulling her into the maze of trees. Meanwhile, all that flashed before her eyes were images of Mark bleeding from his temple and of Seventeen falling the ground, likely to never get up again.

* * *

><p>Mark stumbled back. His legs were heavy and his temples were throbbing, but he wasn't allowed to give up. Not a single chance in hell that he would give up. If he threw in the towel now it would only result in more casualties. He would not have them on his name or his heritage.<p>

Tao stood opposite of him, all smiles. "What is it now, Marky boy? Didn't your father raise you to be a true fighter? Where is your spirit?"

Mark chuckled at that. "Really? Bringing daddy issues into the fray? How pathetic. I figured that the great General Tao would at least be able to do better than that."

"Hmm," Tao muttered. His smile faded and he resorted to twirling his pencil moustache. "You disappoint me. I had hoped that the son of the great Hercule Satan would at least be a semblance of a challenge. It seems that I was mistaken."

"I suppose you're right," Mark slid his wrist past his temple to remove the blood that was now seeping into his mouth and flavouring his tongue with the taste of rust. "The thing is, though, it's not my dad who taught me how to fight."

"Really now?" Tao grinned at him. Suddenly the man was gone and Mark felt a heavy pain ripping through his side. Even before he could blink Tao had resumed his old position. Mark placed a hand on his ribcage. Warm liquid was pouring across his fingers.

"Then please do tell me," Tao scoffed, "Who taught you how to fight like that? It doesn't seem like they did a proper job."

Mark growled and moved a step forward. Blood flooded his right side again but he paid it no mind. "Don't you dare insult my trainer. Don't you even say one more word about him if you want to keep what's left of your face intact."

Tao gave a soft chuckle. "Big words for such a petty boy. Too bad that you can't back them up with action."

Mark let these words slide by him. Little did Tao know that he was accumulating as much energy as he had within himself. The long journey here had taken a lot of effort and strain, but Mark was still good to fight. He would show this Tao exactly what he was made of.

"No witty reply this time?" Tao began to laugh. "It really is pitiful. All it takes is a few hits to shut you up. Now I wish I hadn't tried so hard. Path-"

Mark blasted from his spot as soon as he saw the gap in Tao's defense. His fist landed on the man's jaw with deadly precision. He could hear bone snap and he even saw two teeth flying from the assassin's mouth, along with a glob of blood. Tao was lifted from his feet and smacked head first into the nearest tree. The wooden giant splintered but managed to stand his ground. Tao had been drilled into the tree, his legs swinging limpy back and forth.

Mark did not pat himself on the shoulder, nor did he cheer, He had felt how strong Tao was the second he had received a kick to the ribs. Gohan and his companions weren't the only people in this world capable of manipulating Ki, it seemed. Mark had a feeling that he might be able to stand his ground against Tao, but it would take every bit of effort he could muster.

Tao's body twitched once, then twice. Then, the assassin freed himself from his confinement. He dusted himself off and spat yet another tooth out. When he spoke Mark saw that one of his front ones had gone missing, leaving a gap.

"Damn..." Tao said mostly to himself. Then he turned to Mark. "I have to hand it to you, boy, that wasn't half bad." He shook his head and his braid swished from side to side. "That only leaves me with one problem, though. It seems that we are almost of an even match. If I were to fight this battle I would not have any energy left to pursue that other kid your father is paying me to kill." His voice was slurred and thick. Blood dripped off the man's gums.

Mark eyed Tao warily. He didn't like where this was going one single bit.

"Which means that I have to decide," Tao held two fingers up. "Do I have my fun or do I go after my money? Take a guess, what do you think?"

Mark didn't reply but instead moved for Tao again, hoping to land another devastating strike. The assassin was too fast for him, though. Not a second after dodging the Satan boy's fierce attack, the man shot off into the forest in pursuit of Gohan. Mark cursed loudly and ran after him. His head was growing heavier still, the fatigue catching up to him. If he did not manage to stop Tao soon he would drop dead from exhaustion. He tried to ignore all the blood that was still leaving him at an alarming rate and just press on. He wouldn't notice that he would start coughing up blood half an hour later, nor that his blood pressure was through the roof.

All that mattered now was his perseverance.

* * *

><p>"I've taken down one of them."<p>

"Of them? Taken down?" repeated Hercule incredulously.

"Yes, one of your daughter's two little boyfriends - I saw her kissing him not even forty-eight hours ago."

Hercule massaged his temples, eyeing the glass of whiskey beside him. Oh how he would love to savour the taste of it and pretend that none of this had even happened. "Did you kill him?"

"Quite possibly, but what would you expect from the mercenary you hired to do your dirty work?" asked Tao emotionlessly.

Hercule took a sip. "Do tell me that you at least struck the right person: the one with spiky, black hair."

"He'll be next," grinned Tao before glancing towards the next bag of cash sitting next to Hercule with the ominous crimson-red goggles he had for eyes. "Now, since I'm going to end up killing _two_ people - and I am not a man in the business of offering bargains like some pathetic farmer - I do believe I am entitled to some extra payment."

The rich liquid seeped down Hercule's throat, momentarily curing him of his eternal curse like a magical antidote. "That was not a part of our deal."

"Neither was your idiot son interfering and causing my dental bill to rise by a few ten thousand zeni, but we can call it even."

"No!" exclaimed Hercule as he flung the glass towards Tao. "This was not what we agreed to. I told you _not_ to kill anyone! And you killed the _wrong_ fucking person, too."

The glass shattered on Tao's robotic face, breaking into several sharper jades of glass as the leftover liquid drenched the mercenary. The broken glass, Hercule was scarred to note, did not so much as make Tao flinch when it came into contact with his skin.

"Get out of my sight," growled Hercule. "You can keep what I have already paid you but you will never receive another zeni from my hand. I do not ever want to see you again and _so_ god help me if you come near my family again…"

Though Tao was visibly seething, shaking, with rage, he maintained his composure. He wiped some of the alcohol off of the red lenses that covered much of his face before turning on his heel.

"You toyed with the wrong person, Mr. Satan."

With that, the mercenary left, leaving Hercule to stare at nothing but the shattered fragments of glass scattered across the ground.

...

"Almost there..." Gohan breathed the words out in his hurry to move forward. His hand was still locked around Videl's wrist, dragging her along through the thicket of trees all around them. They were only a little bit away from the city. In a few minutes they would be out in the open and they would be less vulnerable to attacks. The assassin had managed to take them by surprise before; Gohan would make damn sure that wouldn't happen again.

He came to a much too sudden stop. He turned around and saw Videl standing motionless, her blue eyes staring at seemingly nothing. Gohan observed her for a moment, noting her composure. She seemed to be in shock.

"Videl?" Gohan asked with some hesitancy. "Videl, are you okay?"

The girl said nothing, but she did move. When her back found the trunk of a tree she slid back against it, sitting on the forest floor with that vacant expression that wouldn't leave her features.

"Videl, listen to me," Gohan sank through his knees and tried his hardest to look Videl in the eyes. She showed no response towards him. "Videl, I need you to get up now and keep moving. If we don't, we'll be in serious danger."

Nothing. No glance at him, not a single word about what just happened. Nothing at all.

"Do you want Mark to kill himself over nothing?"

That startled her. She blinked twice, as if waking up from a deep sleep. She stared around a bit, then found Gohan's eyes. Her old Sensei forced a stern look upon his face, hoping that it would help her get into action.

Instead, she buried her hands in her hair and began to cry loudly. Gohan was flabbergasted. He didn't know how to respond to that.

"Vi, I..." Gohan placed a hand on her quaking shoulder. "Please... I didn't mean to say it like that."

"No," Videl sobbed and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "No, you're right." Her voice was thick and she was stuttering, but she was slowly getting herself together. "You're right. We have to get moving. It's just that..." She stared at her feet as if they could finish her sentence for her. "It all happened so fast. I couldn't even follow what was happening until Mark was opposite of that man with the long braid."

"Don't punish yourself over that," Gohan told her. "We were taken by surprise. Those things happen. Don't try to change something that you couldn't prevent."

Videl was lapsing back into her shock, her body rigid against the tree trunk. Gohan grabbed her upper arm and shook her roughly. "Videl!" he shouted at her. "Get yourself together right now! I could never forgive myself if I got you killed. You're too precious to me for that." The confession was true and came straight from the heart. It had been on his mind a lot lately and some force had prevented him from speaking it, but now the words were out and the truth had been revealed to the light. Who cared if he loved her? All he cared about was keeping her alive and breathing.

And that worked. Videl gave a sharp exhale, then balled her fists so tight that a little stream of blood seeped from her palm where she had dug her nails in them. She rose from the ground, seeking support against the tree. Her breathing was heavy, but when she looked up Gohan saw the determination in her eyes.

"Right," she said. "Let's go."

Gohan nodded at her and turned around. They were about to take off when they heard a scuffling noise coming from between the trees ahead. Gohan wasted no time in pulling Videl behind him, making sure that she would be shielded from any possible threat.

Krillin stepped into view with Sharpner close behind him. Gohan sighed in relief; the situation hadn't given him the time to scan the Ki of whoever was approaching to see whether or not it was friendly. Gohan moved away from Videl, walking over to the bald monk.

"Hey Gohan, what are you doing all the way over here?" Krillin asked. "Sharp and I just back from buying groceries." He raised one of the plastic bags in his hands. "We were just about to bring them back to camp. You can join us if you want to."

"Sorry Krillin, no time for that." Gohan frowned and gave the details of the whole situation to Krillin as quick as he could.

Krillin was shocked, to say the least. "So Seventeen might be dead?" he inquired. "And what about Mark, Freed, Katie and the other teachers?"

Gohan sighed. "I don't know about Mark. He was fighting that assassin guy so that we could get away safely. I know for a fact that both Freed and Katie are gone for the weekend and that means that so are Yamcha and Tien."

Krillin nodded, clearly understanding the situation. "So what do we do now? Are we gonna go after Mark and make sure he doesn't die?"

Gohan shook his head. "I don't think that's necessary. This assassin is working for Mark and Videl's father, so he wouldn't kill Mark without proper reason. We should use the diversion he has created and bring these two to safety." He gestured towards Videl and Sharpner.

"Okay, so where do you suppose we take them?"

"I reckon that the new dojo would be a safe enough place," Gohan reasoned. "It's close to the center of the city so it's as public as it can be. There is a police station as well as a hospital right nearby, so that might work in our favour too."

"Right," Krillin gave a nod of understanding. "Might as well head out straight away, now that Mark is still keeping this killer guy busy."

Gohan turned to Videl. When she gave him a reassuring look he took her wrist and started running.

* * *

><p>"D-damnit," Mark hissed through his teeth. "Shit..." He was perched atop the roof of an ice cream shop in the middle of Satan City. He had chased Tao down for well over an hour and he had managed to keep up as far as the city's limits, but the assassin had made use of the crowded area and had managed to escape Mark's field of vision. The boy had cursed at this and had taken to the heights, hoping that it would provide him with a proper vantage point. His only hope rested on Tao's noticeable appearance.<p>

He gazed across the many streets below him, looking for a pair of eyes as red as rubies. He spied families out shopping, an old man feeding pigeons on a dirty yellow bench and more cars than he dared to count, but no Tao. Mark cursed again. If he didn't hurry now the results would be disastrous. The only problem was his Ki reserves were almost gone.

His diaphragm shook in protest. He had strained his body to its limits even before the initial confrontation with Tao and he was now feeling the consequences of his actions. The vibrations moved up to his lungs and Mark coughed, stifling it in his fist. When he removed his lips from his hand there was a thin sheen of blood covering his skin. The coughing of blood had started half an hour ago, but this was the first time Mark saw it. His stomach dropped. This wasn't good; if Tao didn't kill him, he would be responsible for his own demise.

In the upper right corners of his eyes, Mark could see the new dojo being built. Most of the structuring had been done and now all that remained to do were things like installing security systems and doing a proper paint job. Mark could see the vaguest of movements from behind the windows. This eased his conscious a bit; at least he could tell where the rest of the group was.

Something moved to his left. It wasn't on ground level and it was far too big to be a bird. Mark turned his head just in time to see Tao running along the rooftops, making his way towards the new dojo. Mark drew in his breath and sprang straight into action. He used his Ki to cushion his landings and used it again to jump off, ensuring that he covered maximum distance.

Mark caught up with Tao as the assassin was about to leap for the dojo, ready to jump from atop a small supermarket. Tao hadn't seen him coming, so Mark made the man aware of his presence by pounding his fist into Tao's unprotected cheek. Tao yowled and went flying. He rolled across the rooftop of the convenience store and went over the edge, managing to keep himself from falling with nothing but his mechanical fingertips.

Mark walked over to him, his breathing deep and heavy. He wiped a trickle of blood away from the corner of his mouth. Tao was looking up at him, his eyebrows pressed down against his goggles. Gone was the calm and collected man that Mark had faced only an hour ago. Right now that deep hue of red where his eyes were supposed to be expressed nothing but fiery rage.

The Satan boy put his body's weight on Tao's fingers. Even if the assassin didn't feel it, at least he wasn't able to wiggle them free. Mark leaned over.

"I told you I would get you," Mark said. "It took me a while but I caught up with you. None of that arrogant demeanor now?"

Tao growled. "You better watch yourself, you little punk! I won't have any problems with ending that pathetic life of yours before you can even blink!"

Mark furrowed his brow. "I thought my father was in the way of that dream of yours?"

A grin appeared on Tao's face. "Well Daddy decided to screw me over. I kind of feel like returning the favor and perhaps a good way to start is to send him his son's head in the mail."

Mark gulped. He was at a disadvantage now and he wasn't certain to walk away from this with his life. He wanted to feel frightened. He wished he could just back out and learn to deal with the guilt that would plague him forever if he did, but apparently that was all the old Mark. The new one replied to Tao's statement by putting one foot over the ledge of the building and kicking down, hitting the assassin in the face with the sole of his shoe.

Tao cursed at him and spat out blood. "That tears it!" He swung his second arm up and gripped the ledge. He hoisted himself up. Mark tried to resist him, but the sudden influx of power was too much to handle. Mark fell back and watched Tao scramble over the edge of the building.

"I am so sick and tired of all you little punks," Tao breathed the words, his shoulders trembling in his epic rage. "All you do is get in my way and make my job more difficult on me. I should just exterminate you all right this instance!"

"You tried that before, remember?" Mark taunted. "It didn't end to well for you."

"Hmph," Tao scoffed. "That was before my limitations in this battle fell away, however."

Mark slid into his fighting stance. "Then I'm going to have to put an end to this right here and right now."

Tao remained silent.

Mark charged. He saw Tao switch his mechanical hand over to his blade, so he was wary from the first instant. Tao slashed at him but he slid underneath, kicking up and striking Tao in the chin. The assassin flew up and Mark got to his feet just in time to plunge his elbow into the man's gut. Tao sucked in air and spittle and blood flew from his mouth. Tao smashed down onto the roof and left cracks in the stone.

"D-Damn..." Tao was having trouble getting up. "Why did I underestimate these runts..."

Mark smirked at the easy victory. He had expected Tao to be more of a challenge judging on the man's speed, but it seemed that he was a lot more of a showman than he was an assassin. He walked over to Tao, who was now on his hands and knees, one palm pressed against his stomach as a violent mixture of blood and vomit left his mouth in regular intervals.

"You there," Mark spat at him. "Die already." He kicked Tao in the ribs and the man went sprawling. He rolled across the length of the roof and stopped just by the edge. Mark took his time to walk over there, making sure that Tao was able to feel the anticipation.

Tao was trying to throw some expletives at him, but all the ruby liquid that had stuck to his lips refrained him from speaking. Mark graced the man with the last smile that he would ever get to see in his life. Then he placed his toes on Tao's sternum and kicked him over the edge.

Mark turned around and sighed in relief. His legs were trembling to support his weight and his headache was nearly blinding him, but all of that didn't matter now. It was over, done with, finité. Right now he would head over to Gohan and Videl, inform them that all was good and then collapse into a little heap of misery. Then he would sleep for forty-eight hours. Perfect.

He was about to walk off and head down when he heard noises behind him. Mark turned around.

"Surprise, surprise." Tao was watching him, standing only a few feet away. The metallic parts of his face had been dented and the blade on his hand was standing in a strange angle, but it was Tao alright. Cracks ran through the red lenses where his eyes were supposed to be. Tao was smiling.

"Well, Mark," Tao said. "It seems that you are even more capable than I had previously imagined."

Mark had no reply for that. His breathing still hadn't fully returned to him and his limbs were growing heavier with every second. He had to do something quick.

"I know what you are planning on," Tao smirked triumphantly. "but it's not going to work. I'm going to take you out right here and now." Tao pointed a finger at him. His smirk grew. "Dodonpa!"

Mark never saw it coming. One minute there was nothing, then all of a sudden a golden beam of Ki erupted from Tao's fingertip. It reached Mark before he had the time to process. It struck him on the left side of his gut. The energy ripped right through his flesh and cauterized the wound instantly. Just before he went flat on his back, Mark had the time to admire the golf ball-sized hole in his body.

Then he fell over as pain tore through him, turning the world black before his eyes.

* * *

><p>Tao couldn't help but grin as the building came into view. The last time he had seen it, repair work was still being done and he had needed to play it calm - distance himself from the eye of any onlookers. This time, he would be taking great pride in physically distancing the <em>eyes<em> of any onlookers from their very bodies.

He spat on the ground, rubbing at his missing tooth with his tongue, forming a tiny puddle of red, sticky saliva. He was sure that some classes had resumed at the initial location given that when he had visited the dojo's temporary training grounds they had been almost empty.

He was interested to see more of the students in action. From the sounds of it, the dojo was something akin to the one his own brother had trained at long ago with that damn turtle hermit. That Mark child had given him a good workout so he couldn't help but shake at the prospect of encountering more of them.

And of course, he would mercilessly cut every single one of them down as they begged for help. It had been a long time since he had been able to let loose; murdering high profile targets for billions of zeni did get a little boring.

He stepped forward towards the glass door of the dojo. Blasting it open with ki, he announced his presence as his eyes were quickly drawn towards the blonde receptionist he had met the other day.

"Oh h-hello," she stuttered a little, shaking in fear, as she tried to act like a professional. "It's y-you again."

He closed the distance between the two of them with three large steps. Reaching towards her face, he brushed a few strands of blonde hair away from her eyes with three cold, mechanical fingers.

"S-Stay back… I'll call the police!" she warned, fear radiating off her very body. It was clear to Tao that every single warning bell within her pretty little body had gone off.

He twisted his left wrist almost six-hundred degrees. Her eyes grew wide with disbelief as he tossed his entire - now detached - left hand backwards as though it were a tennis ball. He chuckled darkly.

And then, wordlessly, he slashed at her left cheek with the knife that was now protruding from his left arm. It was a clean cut, going from her temple to her jawline, and swift enough to cause blood to squirt onto a nearby wall.

She screamed for her dear life at the top of her lungs but he simply kicked her right hip, shattering it completely in one blow. The blonde ceased her screaming, reduced to a mere sobbing heap on the floor.

Satisfied with his handiwork, Tao crouched over her body and grabbed the girl's skimpy top. He wiped the blood from his blade before letting go of the material and kicking the shuddering girl into a corner. This one didn't have to die, but he would rather teach her a valiant life lesson; she would now have to learn to go through her days without that pretty little face. Maybe she would understand that not everything in life came handed to you on a silver platter. Tao was, after all, a teacher.

Smirking to himself, he proceeded past the reception and towards what he could only assume was one of the dojo's sparring grounds. Reaching a door, he paused to think out his next move. There was clearly some kind of spar going on, that much was clear from all the grunting and the occasional sound of a fist coming into contact with a body.

Raising a single finger to the wall in front of him, he willed Ki to build up at its fingertip. "Dodonpa!"

He blasted a hole the size of a golf-ball through the wall and straight through the skull of a student on the other side who instantly crumpled onto the floor. A slightly larger ki-blast increased the hole in the wall until it was so large that he could walk through it unhindered.

"W-Who are you?" stuttered the student's sparring partner as he backed up against the wall. Tao was a little amused to note that this one seemed to have some level of mastery over Ki because he tried to send a small blast of Ki the mercenary's way.

A few moments later, the student found himself clutching his heart desperately as a fountain of blood cascaded down from it. Tao just sneered at the sight before burning the man alive - or at least what was left of his life - with a searing hot blast of energy.

The people that stood surrounding him were all left in awe, their mouths hanging open and their jaws quivering in what Tao knew to be pure terror. A grin crept across his face and he weighed his options; there were so many fun possibilities playing around in his mind. He quickly assessed that there were about twelve other people present, most of whom seemed to be students. He only counted two possible Senseis. This would all be far too easy. Now the real question: Would he pick them off one by one and give the rest a chance to stew in their own fear, or would he take everyone out in one fell swoop?

Grinning still, Tao brandished his blade, enjoying the gleam on the spotless steel. He could see his own lips curling into a devilish smile. Then he was off.

The first one of his victims was an unfortunate girl. She hadn't much time to even blink, let alone process what was happening to her. Tao jabbed his blade deep into her gut and pulled it upwards, cascading his own feet in a waterfall of blood and internal organs. He kicked her kidney away before taking his weapon back. A silver belly button ring shone at the tip of it, causing Tao to laugh that she would have to die with such poor life decisions. He nudged the girl on the shoulder and she fell backwards, her brown hair spreading out behind her as she hit the ground.

Screams erupted around him, the sound of it like music to his ears, a guttural symphony of the dead and dying. It was an artform losing its ground, but he would see to it that before the end of the day, the whole world would once again know the feeling of dread. He went on the move again.

This time he took out two at once. Both of them were students also, judging by the piss weak stance they went into seconds before he ripped them open like fish at a barbeque. Their guts were tossed across the length of the room; Tao would be sure to decorate all of the walls with their bits and pieces. Like those support pillars there, they would look much better wrapped in intestines.

With two more bodies pooling blood at his feet, Tao was now really getting the enjoyment he wanted out of this. It had been a while since he had killed this many people in such a short span of time and it was making him nostalgic. Maybe after he was done here he could seek out a secluded village and murder everyone there. Yeah, that seemed like a fun way to spend the evening.

Fate, however, seemed to disagree with this course of action.

"Stop it!" a voice from behind called.

Tao whirled on his heels and saw them standing there, two of them to be exact. One of them was short and bald, the other tall with a mop of blond falling onto his shoulders. The latter was looking genuinely terrified, his breathing rapid and uneven. He looked as though he might pass out. The other one wasn't so frightened, it seemed, staring him down with the anger radiating from his eyes. Tao chuckled at them.

"Come to stop what can't be prevented?" Tao taunted. He retracted his blade and replaced it with his mechanical hand, doing the customary check to see if the fingers were nimble enough.

"You have no idea who you are talking to," the bald one spat at him. "I can already feel from your Ki signature that you are as insignificant as the flies on my windshield."

Tao managed to keep his cool, despite the sudden overwhelming urge to slice baldy's throat. "Right. And those flies would be able to draw blood they way I've been doing now. They can, without doubt, turn this lovely little place into a horror house if they so desired."

The short man balled his fists, his knuckles cracking. The blond kid still made no move, his fear having paralyzed him on the spot.

"You know what?" came the retort. "I'm not even going to off you myself."

"Ho, ho!" Tao laughed at this, bemused. "Not that you would be able to manage so, but please enlighten me. You make it sound as if there is someone you would let do the job for you. Who, might I ask?"

Baldy's lip twitched upward. "The guy you've been after from the beginning. HIs name is Gohan. Remember it well, cause then you'll know who to bear a grudge against when you're rotting in hell."

This did irk Tao. Whoever this little bastard was, he sure had a lot of nerve to suggest that anyone would be able to beat him. The only one capable of such a feat were Son Goku and perhaps the Demon King Piccolo. And since neither one of them were around, he was quite certain that he would walk away from this unscathed, especially after he had taken out Hercule's boy, the only one who had posed a threat to him so far.

Tao remained silent for several seconds more, drawing out the tension hanging in the room. Most of the trainees had by now run away, showing no regard whatsoever for their fallen comrades. Humanity really was a piss poor race.

"So, where is this savior you speak of?" Tao questioned. "He does not yet seem to be here. How long do you think he would take? Do I have enough time to murder you on the spot?"

"Not even by a long shot," Baldy grinned. "I already raised my Ki to let him know where I am. I can already sense him heading over this way. We spread out to find you quicker, you see, and we would use our Ki as distress signals. He should be here within the next thirty seconds. You'll be dead in thirty-five."

"Like he would be able to harm my being."

"Sure he can. You're only human, after all."

Tao scoffed at this, not knowing where Baldy got the guts to imply such a thing. Surely he had transcended anything 'humane' the moment he had taken on this new form, this bionicle masterpiece. Yet, perhaps it would be wise to retreat for the time being. His energy reserves were running out, and he was supposed to take out the Satan boy's Sensei after all. Mark had been considerably stronger than he had first expected, so what would that say about his teacher?

A decision was made; it was time to leave here now. Tao pointed his good hand at the wall and flooded Ki into his palm. The wall blasted outward as if it were made from tissue papers.

Baldy was shocked to see this move, which of course pleased the mercenary. Even Blondie actually moved his body, albeit only to press his hands to his ears and cancel out the sound of the blast. Tao smirked, an idea forming in his mind. He had shed enough blood already, but one more gallon of the red goo wouldn't harm a single soul. Or, well, except for Blondie maybe.

Tao gave them one final surprise, the one hidden in his sleeve. He closed his hand around the revolver. The thing was about the size of an apple, so he could keep it concealed at all time. To the two men in front of him it would seem that he was pointing nothing but a sleeve at them. By the time he pulled the trigger it was already too late.

Baldy did his best to jump in front, but he was too slow by a wide margin. Blondie never saw it coming. His throat was pierced by the bullet, flesh exploding out of his neck like a ripe tomato being smashed on the floor. The mere impact of it sent him tumbling back, the fall hard enough to roll him over on his stomach. A pool of blood was quickly spreading around him and soaking his golden hair into crimson. A few bubbles rose to the surface of the red lake, before popping out of existence, much like the owner of the final breaths they had come from.

Tao stepped out of the hole in the wall, waving at Baldy, who stood frozen to the ground.

"Sayonara!"

* * *

><p>Gohan clenched his fists together and stared at his feet. Broken glass glimmered around him like crystals. he heard the screams from around him but they didn't quite reach him. They were muffled, like the voices of your fellow passengers on a bus through your headphones. Onyx eyes traveled around the room, taking all of it in.<p>

Sharpner was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood, his face down and small bubbles of air arising as he took his dying breaths. Videl was hunched over him, her hands on her shoulders as she softly shook him, her lips forming words that were meant to soothe. '_Please Sharpner, hang on. Please Sharp, don't die on me. No, Sharpner, no, you don't deserve this'. _

Erasa was sitting in the corner, one hand pressed against her face in futile hope of stopping the bleeding. A large gash was drawn against her features, the result of the assassin's attack. Her lips were quivering and her head bobbed from side to side, as if all of this were just a dream and she would wake up any minute with her pretty face intact.

Krillin was standing in the middle of it all, an expression of disbelief on his face. Gohan presumed that the monk could sometimes forget that not all of them were strong beyond their imagination. Not all of them were capable of surviving such massive attacks. Reality must've come as a smack to the face.

Gohan growled. The sound started in the pit of his belly and moved up to his throat. It was so raw that he could feel his vocal cords protest. Videl jumped up from the sudden noise, her preoccupation with Sharpner suddenly forgotten. Tears were brimming in her eyes and her shoulders were shaking, but she had managed to keep a lot of her composure. Gohan was impressed with her for it.

Gohan turned around, his back towards Videl. His fingernails dug into his palm, drawing blood. Videl's voice rose up from behind him.

"Gohan, where are you going?"

"I'm going to stop all of this," Gohan answered. "I'll make sure that this guy regrets ever getting in touch with your father."

Krillin ran over and placed a hand on Gohan's arm. "Be careful," he said. "I know this shouldn't be a problem for you, but try not to raise too much attention. The police and paramedics are already on their way, so please stop worrying about us."

Gohan nodded his understanding. "I get it, low profile. No guarantees, though."

Krillin sighed, now suddenly the epitome of peace. A smile broke out across his face. "Right. Just go for it already."

Gohan was about to blast off through what was left of the window, when Videl piped up again.

"If you see Mark, please get him out of there. Please."

Gohan laughed at that. "You didn't even have to ask." He blasted out of the window, taking to the sky within half a second. As soon as he had found a proper height to use for observations, he stayed in place, hovering.

The assassin was easy to find. It was as if he wanted to get caught, sporting that weird appearance of him. Gohan used his senses and found the man's Ki. It was thoroughly unimpressive when compared to his own. Gohan flew to him slowly. He wanted the man to be aware of his presence before making a move. He shouldn't be allowed to get away with what he did so easily. He was going to experience the whole thing from start to finish.

The man watched him approach but didn't move himself. He just smiled when Gohan touched down in front of him, his confidence radiating off him. Gohan showed no emotion, no expression. The only thing that might be present in his features would be his desire to kill.

"Well, well," The man snickered. "It seems like I have some more vermin to take care of. This day just keeps getting better and better."

"Shut up," Gohan had no time for bullshit. "Where's Mark?"

"Oh, you mean this poor thing here?" He stepped to the side, revealing Mark. Said boy was lying on his back, a hole of a Ki beam evident near his stomach. For a second Gohan feared the worst, but there was still a Ki signal coming from his body. Gohan sighed in relief.

"You should've seen him," the assassin scoffed. "He thought that he would be able to handle me. I sure proved him wrong."

Gohan's voice was like acid. "You mean by getting your face beat in and losing half your teeth?"

The man grumbled at this. "Okay, I admit, he was a bit of a pest, but all pests can be dealt with. Just like you. So how about you get on your knees with your hands behind your back, or I will destroy what's left of this boy right here." He pointed a finger at Mark and yellow Ki began to glow at his fingertip.

"So that's who you are..." The man turned around, his eyebrows pressed down in his confusion. Gohan was smiling; it all just made sense now. "You're General Tao, are you not? I heard so much about you."

Tao grew a smirk that spread from ear to ear. "Ah, I see that my reputation exceeds me. Do they know the extent of my power where you are from, young man?"

Gohan laughed in return. "Nah, they just laugh at how slow you are."

Before Tao got a chance to blink Gohan moved, picking Mark up from the ground. He stopped by the edge of the building to give Tao a chance to see what he had done. Even before the man went on his rant of expletives, Gohan had made his way down to ground level. He would take Mark over to Krillin; the small man would be able to keep Mark safe.

Gohan walked slowly to make sure that Mark wouldn't suffer from his injuries any further. He was about to cross the road when Mark stirred.

"Uh... Gohan..." The Sensei looked down, feeling amazed. mark had been pierced through with a Ki attack and was still conscious to tell the tale. "Gohan... did I... stop him?"

Gohan smiled a sad smile. "No Mark, you didn't. He got Sharpner."

"Aw, fuck!" Mark cursed. "FUCK! I knew I was useless to begin with."

Gohan replied to this with a glare. "Mark, shut up."

"Wh-What?"

"You heard me." Gohan made work of it to capture Mark's eyes. "You did an amazing job, Mark, you really did. You gave us a chance to find a hiding place. Yes, he still found us, but if it hadn't been for you all of us could've been dead."

Gohan could see Mark trying to find a retort to this, but in the end it seemed that he gave up. Gohan crossed the street and walked into the dojo. He laid Mark down on the ground.

Videl sprang to life immediately. She rushed over to her brother and got to her knees. "Mark, thank god, I thought you were dead..." She buried her face in his chest, the sounds of her crying now louder than ever.

"Yeah, it was a close call," Mark managed to groan. "But if you don't watch where you put your hand you can take over that responsibility." He pointed at the hole in his body. "It's still tender, believe it or not."

Gohan didn't have the time for such a warm family moment. He had other matters to deal with now.

Tao was still waiting for him on the rooftop. When he Gohan touched down he asked "Are we ready to go now?"

"That depends," Gohan said. "Do you have any last words that you want to tell the world?"

"A confident one, eh?" Tao smirked. "Well let's do something about that."

Gohan was ready for this. He would end it all within the blink of an eye.

Tao rushed at him, but the assassin was far too slow. Tao slashed his blade at him but Gohan ducked underneath it. He swirled around and ended up behind his adversary. Gohan grabbed Tao's arm and brought it down over his leg. The bones snapped like matches, their milky whites protruding from a ruin of mangled flesh.

Tao screamed, having never expected such a turn of events. Gohan allowed him a moment for the shock to settle. After judging it to be enough he pulled Tao's shoulder out of his socket as he turned him around. Tao howled again but Gohan ignored it this time. Gohan closed his fingers around Tao's throat. Tao tried to struggle and put his hands around Gohan's wrist, but there was no use at all.

Gohan showed no expression at all when he lifted Tao off of his feet. He walked over to the edge of the building and stretched out his arm. Tao now had nothing below his feet but the street and the cars in traffic.

"I suppose this is the point where you start begging," Gohan said. "You might want to lead with how you never intended to do any of this, that you were simply doing your job. You think it might be a good excuse," Gohan laughed. "But now that you see how serious I am, you know that it won't suffice. Instead you'll throw your hands up, pleading for your life. 'Oh no, please forgive me, it was all a mistake! I have seen the light now! Halle-fucking-lujah.'

"There is only one issue though. See, you just killed one of my finest students. You had no regard for him, for his life, for what he was hoping to achieve in the future. You just killed him and then you laughed about it. I cannot accept such a thing."

Gohan was silent for a few seconds. Tao did not move an inch aside from the rising and falling from his chest on each frantic breath.

"It is simply inexcusable." Gohan closed his fist, crushing Tao's windpipe. The assassin struggled for only a second or two. After the third he was growing purple. After the fifth it was all over. Gohan opened his fist and let the corpse plummet towards the earth. The police would be perfectly capable of cleaning up the mess.

Gohan jumped from the roof and walked over to the dojo. The situation there hadn't changed much; Videl was still crying, Mark kept trying to tell her to man up and Krillin had taken to caring for Erasa. The blonde was crying, but winced every time a tear rolled over the gash in her face. Gohan sighed. It seemed that after this whole debacle had been dealt with peace could finally come again.

Sirens were howling in the distance. Gohan walked out to meet them.

* * *

><p>He was in pain. He could say such a thing safely, seeing how every little move in his muscles hurt like off the seven hells combined. Seventeen grumbled. Great. Now he wasn't only in pain, he was also alone. Just fantastic.<p>

Seventeen managed to open his eyes to slits. Even that hurt like a motherfucker. There was no way in hell that he would be able to lift his head to look around, so he would just have to do with staring at the blue sky. He just hoped that it wasn't going to be boring.

If only his Ki channeling system was still in the shape it should've been. If that had been the case he could've just taken off into the air and leave this damn clearing behind them, but noooo... he just had to lie here in the grass, hoping that he wouldn't die within the next ten seconds. Life could be such a surprise sometimes.

Seventeen heard a noise in the distance and it was drawing in closer. He determined it to be the swishing of helicopter blades. He sighed. They probably weren't here for him, that would be too much to ask. Maybe there was a forest fire nearby that had to be put out.

HIs hair was swept up by the wind when the sound kept swelling. The ground underneath him began to vibrate. Then came the sound of doors unlocking. Seventeen wished he could roll onto his stomach and see what was going on behind him.

"Oh my god," Seventeen knew he recognized the voice, but he wasn't able to put his finger on it. "Wow, they really did a number on you, didn't they?"

"Look who's observant today," Seventeen mocked. "Could it be because my guts are practically falling out of me? Or is it because my hair looks a little wind-swept?"

"Now, now, Seventeen," the voice came again. It was female and a little demeaning in tone. "No need to get your panties in a twist. I'm only stating what I see."

"Well how about you stop that and help me out here. You may or may not have noticed that I am literally falling apart here."

Shadows came to loom over him, two of them in total. Seventeen forced his eyes open further to see who had the nerve to block his sunlight.

"Heya," Bulma Briefs greeted, one hand raised in a waving motion.

"Good day," Dr. Briefs was present too. "My my, so this is the design that Doctor Gero picked for his ultimate machines, eh? Looks kind of dingy if you ask me."

Seventeen couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Yeah, it's got some design flaws."

Bulma sank through her knees and pulled out a capsule. She threw it down next to Seventeen and a stretcher popped out from a cloud of smoke.

"Don't worry Seventeen, we're gonna get you all patched up."

Seventeen smirked one more time before the world went black. "Yeah and don't forget to charge my batteries."

**The End.**

* * *

><p><strong>We deeply appreciate all the support you fans have shown us over the past few years, through all the highs and lows and various writers that this story has gone through. Both Kakarot Son and kalebxdd are highly pleased that they've been able to finish this story and hope that you will follow them in their future endeavors for Team Dragon Star.<strong>

**Keep your eyes peeled for the epilogue which we hope to post soon. This might clear up any questions still lingering amongst our readers. **


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